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THE  INFLUENCE  OP 
ANIMISM  ON   ISLAM 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

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THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Ltd. 

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THE  INFLUENCE  OF 
ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  POPULAR 
SUPERSTITIONS 


BY 


SAMUEL  M.  ZWEMER,  FR.GS. 


» 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1920 

All  rights  reserved 


A 


Copyright,  1920, 
Bt  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published  April,  1930. 


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THIS  VOLUME  CONTAINS 

THE  A.  C.  THOMPSON  LECTURES  FOR  1918-1919 

DELIVERED  ON  THE 

HARTFORD  SEMINARY  FOUNDATION 

AND  AT 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

IN  A  COURSE  OF  LECTURES  ON  MISSIONS: 
IT  IS  DEDICATED  TO 

THE  STUDENTS  AND  FACULTIES  OF  THESE 

INSTITUTIONS 

IN  APPRECIATION  OF 

THE  INVITATION  TO  DELIVER  THE  LECTURES 

AND  IN  PLEASANT  RECOLLECTION  OF 

THEIR  MANY  COURTESIES 


440159 


PEEFACE 

From  the  standpoint  both  of  religion  and  culture  Animism 
has  been  described  as  "  the  tap-root  which  sinks  deepest  in 
racial  human  experience  and  continues  its  cellular  and 
fibrous  structure  in  the  tree-trunk  oi  modern  conviction." 
All  the  great  world  religions  show  traces  of  animism  in  their 
sub-soil  and  none  but  Christianity  (even  that  not  completely) 
has  uprooted  the  weed-growth  of  superstition.  In  this  book 
it  is  our  purpose  to  show  how  Islam  sprang  up  in  Pagan  soil 
and  retained  many  old  Arabian  beliefs  in  spite  of  its  vigorous 
monotheism.  Wherever  Mohammedanism  went  it  intro- 
duced old  or  adopted  new  superstitions.  The  result  has  been 
that  as  background  of  the  whole  ritual  and  even  in  the  creed 
of  popular  Islam,  Animism  has  conquered.  The  religion  of 
the  common  people  from  Tangier  to  Teheran  is  mixed  with 
hundreds  of  superstitions  many  of  which  have  lost  their  or- 
iginal significance  but  still  bind  mind  and  heart  with  con- 
stant fear  of  demons,  with  witchcraft  and  sorcery  and  the  call 
to  creature-worship.  Just  as  popular  Hinduism  differs  in 
toto  from  the  religion  of  the  Vedas,  popular  Islam  is  alto- 
gether different  from  the  religion  as  recorded  in  its  sacred 
Book.  Our  purpose  in  the  chapters  which  follow  is  to  show 
how  this  miry  clay  of  animism  mingles  with  the  iron  of 
Semitic  theism  in  the  feet  of  the  great  image  with  head  of 
gold  that  rest  on  Asia  and  Africa.  The  rapid  spread  of 
Islam  in  Africa  and  Malayia  is,  we  believe,  largely  due  to  its 
animistic  character.  The  primitive  religions  had  points  of 
contact  with  Islam  that  were  mutually  attractive.  It  stooped 
to  conquer  them  but  fell  in  stooping.     The  reformation  of 

vii 


viii  PKEFACE 

Islam,  if  sucli  be  possible,  must  begin  here.  The  student  of 
Islam  will  never  understand  the  common  people  unless  he 
knows  their  curious  beliefs  and  half-heathen  practices.  The 
missionary  should  not  only  know  but  sympathize.  Avoiding 
contempt  or  denunciation  he  will  even  find  points  of  contact 
in  Animistic  Islam  that  may  lead  discussion  straight  to  the 
Cross  and  the  Atonement.  In  popular  Islam  we  have  to  deal 
with  men  and  women  groping  after  light  and  struggling  in 
the  mire  for  a  firm  foothold  on  the  Rock.  This  book  may 
help  us  to  find  their  hand  in  the  dark.  As  we  read  its  pages 
we  must  not  forget  that  even  in  Egypt  and  India  over  ninety- 
four  per  cent  of  the  Moslem  population  is  illiterate  and  there- 
fore has  no  other  religion  than  popular  Islam. 

S.  M.  Zwemek. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I    Islam  and  Animism 1 

II     Animism  in  the  Creed  and  the  Use  of  the 

Rosary 21 

III  Animistic  Elements  in  Moslem  Prayer  ...     43 

IV  Hair,  Finger-Nails  and  the  Hand     ....     66 
V     The  'Aqiqa  Sacrifice 87 

VI     The  Familiar  Spirit  or  Qarina 107 

VII    Jinn 125 

VIII    Pagan  Practices  in  Connection  with  the  Pil- 
grimage    146 

IX    Magic  and  Sorcery 163 

X    Amulets,  Charms  and  Knots 186 

XI  Tree,  Stone  and  Serpent  Worship      ....  208 

XII    The  Zar:  Exorcism  of  Demons 227 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Center  of  the  Moslem  Faith Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 

Large  Incense  Bowls  in  Mosque  at  Hankow,  China  .      .      .26 

Interior  Court  of  the  Mosque  of  Al  Azhar,  Cairo  ....     50 

The  Torba  and  Amulets 54 

Hand-shaped  Amulets 82 

Amulets  and  "  Lucky  "  Rings  used  in  Lower  Egypt  .      .      .118 

Egyptian  Geomancer 132 

The  City  of  Mecca 156 

Talismans  and  Magical  Squares  from  Egypt     ....   204 

Magic  Bowl  and  Amulets 180 

Ancient  Amulets  from  the  Egyptian  Tombs 212 

Women  and  children  visiting  a  newly-made  grave  in  the 

Moslem  Cemetery,  Cairo 240 


1 


',     - 


THE  INFLUENCE 
OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 


CHAPTEK  I 


ISLAM    AND    ANIMISM 


That  Islam  in  its  origin  and  popular  character  is  a  com- 
posite faith,  with  Pagan,  Jewish  and  Christian  elements,  is 
known  to  all  students  of  comparative  religion.  Rabbi 
Geiger  in  his  celebrated  essay  *  has  shown  how  much  of  the 
warp  and  woof  of  the  Koran  was  taken  from  Talmudic 
Judaism  and  how  the  entire  ritual  is  simply  that  of  the 
Pharisees  translated  into  Arabic.  Tisdall  in  his  "  Sources 
of  Islam  "  and  other  writers,  especially  Wellhausen,  Gold- 
ziher  and  Robertson  Smith,  have  indicated  the  pagan  ele- 
ments that  persist  in  the  Moslem  faith  to  this  day  and  were 
taken  over  by  Mohammed  himself  from  the  old  Arabian 
idolatry.  Christian  teaching  and  life  too  had  their  influ- 
ence on  Mohammed  and  his  doctrine,  as  is  evident  not  onlv 
in  the  acknowledged  place  of  honor  given  to  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Virgin  Mary,  John  the  Baptist,  and  other  New  Tes- 
tament characters,  but  in  the  spirit  of  universalism,  of 
conquest  and  above  all  in  the  mystic  beliefs  and  ascetic 
practices  of  later  Islam. 

"  A  three-fold  cord  is  not  easily  broken. "  The  strength 
of  Islam  is  its  composite  character.  It  entrenches  itself 
everywhere  and  always  in  animistic  and  pagan  supersti- 
tion.    It  fights   with   all  the  fanatic   devotion   of   Semitic 

i"Was  hat  Mohammed  aus  dem  Judenthume  aufgenommen  "   (Wies- 
baden, 1833). 


2     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

■ 

Judaism  with  its  exaggerated  nationalism.  It  claims  at 
once  to  include  and  supersede  all  that  which  Jesus  Christ 
was  and  did  and  taught.  It  is  a  religion  of  compromise,  of 
conservatism,  and  of  conquest. 

It  is  our  purpose  to  show  how  strong  is  the  pagan  ele- 
ment in  Mohammedanism,  how  many  doctrines  and  prac- 
tices of  popular  Islam  find  their  explanation  only  in  a  sur- 
vival of  the  animism  of  Ancient  Arabia  or  were  incorporated 
from  many  heathen  sources  in  the  spread  of  the  faith ;  doc- 
trines and  practices  which  Islam  was  never  able  to  eliminate 
or  destroy.  At  the  outset  of  our  discussion  it  need  not  sur- 
prise us  that  a  belief  in  demons  and  the  old  Arabian  super- 
stitions persisted  in  spite  of  Islam.  Five  times  daily  the 
Moslem  muezzin  calls  out  from  the  Mosque :  "  There  is  no 
god  but  Allah."  The  people  repeat  this  and  reiterate  it  far 
more  than  a  hundred  times  during  the  day  in  their  quarrels, 
feasts,  fasts,  rejoicings,  and  common  conversation.  But  in 
my  daily  observations  —  and  I  have  lived  among  them  for 
more  than  twenty-five  years  —  I  find  they  have  fetishes  and 
superstitious  customs  which  amount  to  as  many  gods  as  the 
heathen  who  bow  down  to  wood  and  stone.2 

2  In  the  use  of  the  word  "  Animism  "  we  refer  to  primitive  pagan 
practices  and  not  to  other  uses  of  the  term.  William  McDougall  writes 
in  his  "  Body  and  Mind"  (Methuen  &  Co.  Ltd.,  36  Essex  St.,  W.  C,  p. 
viii  of  Preface)  :  "  Primitive  Animism  seems  to  have  grown  up  by  ex- 
tension of  this  notion  to  the  explanation  of  all  the  more  striking  phe- 
nomena of  nature.  And  the  Animism  of  civilized  men,  which  has  been 
and  is  the  foundation  of  every  religious  system,  except  the  more  rigid 
Pantheism,  is  historically  continuous  with  the  primitive  doctrine. 
But,  while  religion,  superstition,  and  the  hope  of  a  life  beyond  the 
grave  have  kept  alive  amongst  us  a  variety  of  animistic  beliefs,  rang- 
ing in  degree  of  refinement  and  subtlety  from  primitive  Animism  to 
that  taught  by  Plato,  Liebnitz,  Lotze,  William  James,  or  Henri  Berg- 
son,  modern  science  and  philosophy  have  turned  their  backs  upon  An- 
imism of  every  kind  with  constantly  increasing  decision ;  and  the  ef- 
forts of  modern  philosophy  have  been  largely  directed  towards  the 
ex-cogitation  of  a  view  of  man  and  of  the  world  which  shall  hold  fast 
to  the  primacy  and  efficiency  of  mind  or  spirit,  while  rejecting  the  ani- 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  3 

Now  we  find  that  Islam  in  Arabia  itself  and  in  the  older 
Moslem  lands  was  not  able  to  shake  itself  free  from  similar 
beliefs  and  practices.  To  understand  these  aright  in  their 
origin  and  character  it  is  necessary  first  of  all  to  know  some- 
thing of  what  we  mean  by  Animism.  Animism  is  the  belief 
that  a  great  part  if  not  all  of  the  inanimate  kingdom  of  nature 
as  well  as  all  animated  beings,  are  endowed  with  reason,  in- 
telligence and  volition  identical  with  man.  Kennedy  defines 
it  as  "  both  a  religion,  a  system  of  philosophy  and  a  system 
of  medicine.  As  a  religious  system  it  denotes  the  worship 
of  spirits  as  distinguished  from  that  of  the  gods  "  ;  3  and  War- 
neck  says :  "It  would  seem  as  if  Animism  were  the  primi- 
tive form  of  heathenism,  maintaining  itself,  as  in  China  and 
India  to  this  hour,  amid  all  the  refinements  of  civilization. 
The  study  of  Greek  and  old  German  religions  exhibits  the 
same  animistic  features.  The  essence  of  heathenism  seems  to 
be  not  the  denial  of  God,  but  complete  estrangement  from 
Him.  The  existence  of  God  is  everywhere  known,  and  a  cer- 
tain veneration  given  Him.  But  He  is  far  away,  and  is 
therefore  all  but  ruled  out  of  the  religious  life.  His  place  is 
taken  by  demons,  who  are  feared  and  worshiped. "  4 

mistic  conception  of  human  personality.  My  prolonged  puzzling  over 
the  psycho-physical  problem  has  inclined  me  to  believe  that  these  at- 
tempts cannot  be  successfully  carried  through,  and  that  we  must  accept 
without  reserve  Professor  Tylor's  dictum  that  Animism  '  embodies  the 
very  essence  of  spiritualistic,  as  opposed  to  materialistic,  philosophy, 
and  that  the  deepest  of  all  schisms  is  that  which  divides  Animism  from 
Materialism." 

In  our  treatment  of  Islam  we  do  not  deal  with  the  psychology  or 
philosophy  of  Animism  in  this  sense  at  all.  Islam  as  well  as  Chris- 
tianity believes  thoroughly  in  the  existence  of  the  soul  as  well  as  the 
body,  and  Moslem  philosophy  never  became  materialistic.  The  belief 
in  life  after  death  and  in  the  mortality  of  the  soul  is  not  disputed. 
This  book  deals  with  the  pagan  interpretations  of  this  doctrine  and 
with  superstitions  connected  with  a  belief  in  demons,  etc.,  more  com- 
monly known  as  Animism. 

3  "Animism,"  by  Eev.  K.  W.  S.  Kennedy,  Westminster,  1914. 

*  Warneck  —  "  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism,"  p.  7. 


4     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Even  in  Arabia  the  stern  monotheism  of  the  Wahabi  Re- 
formers was  unable  to  eradicate  the  pagan  superstitions  of 
Islam  because  thej  are  imbedded  in  the  Koran  and  were 
not  altogether  rejected  by  Mohammed  himself, — much  less 
by  his  companions. 

With  regard  to  the  pagan  practices  prevalent  in  early 
Islam,  Abu'l  Fida  calls  attention  to  a  number  of  religious 
observances  which  were  thus  perpetuated  under  the  new  sys- 
tem. "  The  Arabs  of  the  times  of  ignorance,"  he  says,  "  used 
to  do  things  which  the  religious  law  of  Islam  has  adopted; 
for  they  used  not  to  wed  their  mothers  or  their  daughters, 
and  among  them  it  was  deemed  a  most  detestable  thing  to 
marry  two  sisters,  and  they  used  to  revile  the  man  who  mar- 
ried his  father's  wife,  and  to  call  him  Daizan.  They  used, 
moreover,  to  make  the  pilgrimage  (Hajj)  to  the  House" 
(the  Ka'aba),  "and  visit  the  consecrated  places,  and  wear 
the  Ihram  "  (the  single  garment  worn  to  the  present  day 
by  a  pilgrim  when  running  round  the  Ka'bah),  "and  per- 
form the  Tawwaf,  and  run  "  (between  the  hills  As  Safa  and 
Al  Marwa)  "  and  make  their  stand  at  all  the  Stations  and  cast 
the  stones  "  (at  the  devil  in  the  valley  of  Mina)  ;  "  and  they 
were  wont  to  intercalate  a  month  every  third  year."  He  goes 
on  to  mention  many  other  similar  examples  in  which  the  re- 
ligion of  Islam  has  enjoined  as  religious  observances  ancient 
Arabian  customs,  for  instance  ceremonial  washings  after  cer- 
tain kinds  of  defilement,  parting  the  hair,  the  ritual  observed 
in  cleansing  the  teeth,  paring  the  nails,  and  other  such  mat- 
ters.5 

Mohammed  also  borrowed  certain  fables  current  among  the 
heathen  Arabs,  such  as  the  tales  of  Ad  and  Thamud  and  some 
others  (Surah  VII  63-77).  Regarding  such  stories,  Al 
Kindi  well  says  to  his  opponent :  "  And  if  thou  mentionest 
the  tale  of  Ad  and  Thamud  and  the  Camel  and  the  Comrades 
of  the  Elephant  "  (Surahs  CV  and  XIV:  9)  "  and  the  like  of 

5  Cf.  Tisdall,  "  The  Sources  of  the  Qur'an,"  pp.  44-45. 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  5 

these  tales,  we  say  to  thee,  '  These  are  senseless  stories  and 
the  nonsensical  fables  of  old  women  of  the  Arabs,  who  kept 
reciting  them  night  and  day.'  " 

When  we  read  the  account  of  pre-Islamic  worship  at  Mecca 
we  realize  how  many  of  the  ancient  customs  persist  in  Islam. 
The  principal  idols  of  Arabia  were  the  following: 

Hobal  was  in  the  form  of  a  man  and  came  from  Syria ;  he 
was  the  god  of  rain  and  had  a  high  place  of  honor. 

Wadd  was  the  god  of  the  firmament.  Special  prayers  for 
rain  and  against  eclipse  were  taught  by  Mohammed. 

Suwah,  in  the  form  of  a  woman,  was  said  to  be  from  ante- 
diluvian times. 

Yaghuth  had  the  shape  of  a  lion. 

Yaooh  was  in  the  form  of  a  horse,  and  was  worshiped  in 
Yemen.  (Bronze  images  of  this  idol  are  found  in  ancient 
tombs  and  are  still  used  as  amulets.) 

Nasr  was  the  eagle  god. 

El  Uzza,  identified  by  some  scholars  with  Yenus,  was 
worshiped  at  times  under  the  form  of  an  acacia  tree  (cf. 
Tree- worship  by  Moslems). 

Allot  was  the  chief  idol  of  the  tribe  of  Thakif  at  Taif  who 
tried  to  compromise  with  Mohammed  to  accept  Islam  if  he 
would  not  destroy  their  god  for  three  years.  The  name  ap- 
pears to  be  the  feminine  of  Allah. 

Manat  was  a  huge  stone  worshiped  as  an  altar  by  several 
tribes. 

Duivar  was  the  virgin's  idol  and  young  women  used  to  go 
around  it  in  procession ;  hence  its  name. 

Isaf  and  Naila  were  idols  that  stood  near  Mecca  on  the  hills 
of  Saf a  and  Mirwa ;  the  visitation  of  these  popular  shrines  is 
now  a  part  of  the  Moslem  pilgrimage,  i.  e.,  they  perpetuate 
ancient  idolatrous  rites. 

Habhab  was  a  large  stone  on  which  camels  were  slaugh- 
tered.    In  every  Moslem  land  sacred-stones,  sacred-trees,  etc., 


6     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

abound;  in  most  cases  these  were  formerly  shrines  of  pagan 
(in  some  cases,  of  Christian)  sanctity. 

"  Even  in  the  higher  religions,"  says  Warneck,  "  and  in  the 
heathenism  that  exists  in  Christendom,  we  find  numerous 
usages  of  animistic  origin.  Buddhism,  Confucianism  and 
Mohammedanism  have  nowhere  conquered  this  most  tenacious 
of  all  forms  of  religion ;  they  have  not  even  entered  into  con- 
flict with  it;  it  is  only  overcome  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ." 
Therefore  these  many  superstitions  can  now  no  longer  be 
styled  anti-Mohammedan,  although  they  conflict  in  many  re- 
spects with  the  original  doctrines  of  Islam.  A  religion  is  not 
born  full-grown  any  more  than  a  man,  and  if  on  attaining  a 
ripe  maturity  it  has  cast  off  the  form  of  its  early  youth  past 
recognition,  we  cannot  deny  it  its  right  to  this  transforma- 
tion, as  it  is  part  and  parcel  of  the  scheme  of  nature. 

"  A  custom  or  idea  does  not  necessarily  stand  condemned 
according  to  the  Moslem  standard,"  writes  Hurgronje,  "  even 
though  in  our  minds  there  can  be  no  shadow  of  doubt  of  its 
pagan  origin.  If,  for  example,  Mohammedan  teaching  is 
able  to  regard  some  popular  custom  as  a  permissible  enchant- 
ment against  the  devil  or  against  jinns  hostile  to  mankind, 
or  as  an  invocation  of  the  mediation  of  a  prophet  or  saint 
with  God,  then  it  matters  not  that  the  existence  of  these  ma- 
lignant spirits  is  actually  only  known  from  pagan  sources,  nor 
does  any  one  pause  to  inquire  whether  the  saint  in  question  is 
but  a  heathen  god  in  a  new  dress,  or  an  imaginary  being  whose 
name  but  serves  to  legitimate  the  existing  worship  of  some 
object  of  popular  reverence."  6  Some  writers  go  so  far  as  to 
say  that  Animism  lies  at  the  root  of  all  Moslem  thinking  and 
all  Moslem  theology.  "  The  Moslem,"  says  Gottfried  Simon, 
"  is  naturally  inclined  to  Animism ;  his  Animism  does  not  run 
counter  to  the  ideal  of  his  religion.  Islam  is  the  classic  ex- 
ample of  the  way  in  which  the  non-Christian  religions  do  not 

e  "  The  Achenese,"  pp.  287-8. 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  7 

succeed  in  conquering  Animism.  This  weakness  in  face  of 
the  supreme  enemy  of  all  religious  and  moral  progress  bears 
a  bitter  penalty.  Among  the  animistic  peoples  Islam  is  more 
and  more  entangled  in  the  meshes  of  Animism.  The  con- 
queror is,  in  reality,  the  conquered.  Islam  sees  the  most 
precious  article  of  its  creed,  the  belief  in  God,  and  the  most 
important  of  its  religious  acts,  the  profession  of  belief, 
dragged  in  the  mire  of  animistic  thought;  only  in  animistic 
guise  do  they  gain  currency  among  the  common  people.  In- 
stead of  Islam  raising  the  people,  it  is  itself  degraded.  Is- 
lam, far  from  delivering  heathendom  from  the  toils  of  Ani- 
mism, is  itself  deeply  involved  in  them.  Animism  emerges 
from  its  struggle  for  the  soul  of  a  people,  modernized  it  is 
true,  but  more  powerful  than  ever,  elegantly  tricked  out  and 
buttressed  by  theology.  Often  it  is  scarcely  recognizable  in 
its  refined  Arabian  dress,  but  it  continues  as  before  to  sway 
the  people;  it  has  received  divine  sanction." 

Other  writers  express  a  still  stronger  opinion.  "  Moslem 
ritual,  instead  of  bringing  a  man  to  God,"  writes  Dr.  Adri- 
ani,  "  serves  as  a  drag  net  for  Animism,"  and  evidence  con- 
firms this  from  Celebes  where  the  Mohammedan  is  more  su- 
perstitious even  than  the  heathen.  "  Islam  has  exercised 
quite  a  different  influence  upon  the  heathen  from  what  we 
should  expect.  It  has  not  left  him  as  he  was,  nor  has  it  tem- 
pered his  Animism.  Rather  it  has  relaid  the  old  animistic 
foundations  of  the  heathen's  religion  and  run  up  a  light,  ar- 
tistic superstructure  upon  it  of  Moslem  customs."  7 

While  Moslems  profess  to  believe  in  one  God  and  repeat 
His  glorious  incommunicable  attributes  in  their  daily  wor- 
ship, they  everywhere  permit  this  glorious  doctrine  to  be 
buried  under  a  mass  of  pagan  superstitions  borrowed  either 
originally  from  the  demon-worship  of  the  Arabs,  the  Hindu 

7  "  The  Progress  and  Arrest  of  Islam  in  Sumatra,"  Gottfried  Simon, 
pp.    157-9. 


8     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

gods,  or  the  animistic  practices  of  Malaysia  and  Central 
Africa.  Regarding  the  thirty  million  Moslems  of  the  Dutch 
East  Indies  Wilkinson  well  says :  "  The  average  Malay 
may  be  said  to  look  upon  God  as  upon  a  great  king  or  gov- 
ernor, mighty,  of  course,  and  just,  but  too  remote  a  power  to 
trouble  himself  about  a  villager's  petty  affairs ;  whereas  the 
spirits  of  the  district  are  comparable  to  the  local  police,  who 
may  be  corrupt  and  prone  to  error,  but  who  take  a  most  ab- 
sorbing personal  interest  in  their  radius  of  influence,  and 
whose  ill-will  has  to  be  avoided  at  all  costs. " 

At  first  consideration  one  would  imagine  that  the  stern 
monotheism  of  Islam  —  the  very  intolerance  of  Semitic  be- 
lief in  Allah  —  would  prevent  compromise  with  polytheism. 
The  facts  are,  however,  to  the  contrary.  "  Belief  in  spirits 
of  all  sorts  is  neither  peculiar  to  Acheh  nor  in  conflict  with 
the  teaching  of  Islam,"  says  Dr.  Snouck  Hurgronje.  "  Ac- 
tual worship  of  these  beings  in  the  form  of  prayer  might  seri- 
ously imperil  monotheism,  but  such  worship  is  a  rare  ex- 
ception in  Acheh.  The  spirits  most  believed  in  are  hostile  to 
mankind  and  are  combated  by  exorcism;  the  manner  in 
which  this  is  done  in  Acheh,  as  in  Arabia  and  other  Moham- 
medan countries  is  at  variance  in  many  respects  with  the 
orthodox  teaching.  Where,  however,  the  Achenese  calls  in 
the  help  of  these  spirits  or  of  other  methods  of  enchantment 
in  order  to  cause  ill-fortune  to  his  fellow-man,  he  does  so  with 
the  full  knowledge  that  he  is  committing  a  sin."  The  mis- 
sionary, Gottfried  Simon,  goes  even  further  when  he  says : 
"  The  pioneer  preaching  of  the  Mohammedan  idea  of  God 
finds  a  hearing  all  the  more  easily  because  it  does  not  essen- 
tially rise  above  the  level  of  Animistic  ideas ;  for  the  Moham- 
medan does  not  bring  the  heathen  something  absolutely  new 
with  his  doctrine  of  God ;  his  idea  of  God  correlates  itself  to 
existing  conceptions.  Animism  is  really  the  cult  of  spirits 
and  the  souls  of  the  departed.     Yet  spirit  worship  has  not 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  9 

been  able  to  entirely  obliterate  the  idea  of  God."  8  He  goes 
on  to  show  that  among  all  the  tribes  of  Sumatra,  the  images 
which  are  incorrectly  called  idols  are  either  pictures  to  scare 
away  evil  spirits  by  their  ugliness,  or  soul-carriers,  that  is  to 
say,  pictures  into  which  soul-stuff  has  been  introduced  by 
some  kind  of  manipulation ;  they  therefore  either  introduce 
soul-stuff  into  the  house  (soul-stuff  =  life  power,  life-fluid, 
hence  a  material  conception)  and  with  it  a  blessing,  or  by  an 
increase  of  soul-stuff  they  ensure  protection  against  diseases 
and  spirits.  The  first  group  might  perhaps  best  be  called 
amulets,  or  when  they  are  worshiped  and  given  food,  fet- 
ishes; and  the  second  group  talismans. 

In  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic  "  9  it  is  shown  that  just  as  in 
the  language  of  the  Malays  one  can  pick  out  Arabic  words 
from  the  main  body  of  native  vocabulary,  so  in  their  popular 
religious  customs  Mohammedan  ideas  overlie  a  mass  of  orig- 
inal pagan  notions.  "  The  Malays  of  the  Peninsula  are 
Sunni  Muhammadans  of  the  school  of  Shafi'i,  and  nothing, 
theoretically  speaking,  could  be  more  correct  and  orthodox 
(from  the  point  of  view  of  Islam)  than  the  belief  which  they 
profess.  "  But  the  beliefs  which  they  actually  hold  are  an- 
other matter  altogether,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
Mohammedan  veneer  which  covers  their  ancient  superstitions 
is  very  often  of  the  thinnest  description.  The  inconsistency 
in  which  this  involves  them  is  not,  however,  as  a  rule  realized 
by  themselves.  Beginning  their  invocations  with  the  ortho- 
dox preface :  '  In  the  name  of  God,  the  merciful,  the  com- 
passionate/ and  ending  them  with  an  appeal  to  the  Creed: 
'  There  is  no  god  but  God,  and  Muhammad  is  the  Apostle  of 
God/  they  are  conscious  of  no  impropriety  in  addressing  the 
intervening  matter  to  a  string  of  Hindu  Divinities,  Demons, 

s  "  The  Progress  and  Arrest  of  Islam  in  Sumatra/'  Gottfried  Simon, 
London,  pp.  48-51. 
9  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic,"  p.  xiii. 


10     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Ghosts  and  Nature  Spirits,  with  a  few  Angels  and  Prophets 
thrown  in,  as  the  occasion  may  seem  to  require." 

The  very  wide  extent  of  Animism  is  often  not  realized. 
This  belief  is  the  living,  working  creed  of  over  half  the  human 
race.  All  South,  Central  and  West  African  tribes  are  Ani- 
mists,  except  where  Animism  has  been  dispossessed  by  Chris- 
tianity. The  Mohammedanism  of  Africa  is  largely  mingled 
with  it.  It  is  the  faith  of  Madagascar.  North  and  South 
American  Indians  knew  no  other  creed  when  Columbus 
landed,  and  the  uncivilized  remnant  still  profess  it.  The 
islanders  of  the  Pacific  and  the  aborigines  of  Australia  are 
Animists.  In  Borneo  and  the  Malay  Archipelago  it  is 
strong,  although  a  good  deal  affected  by  Hinduism.  Even  in 
China  and  Japan  its  adherents  are  numbered  by  millions. 
In  Burma  it  has  been  stated  that  the  nominal  Buddhism  of 
the  country  is  in  reality  only  a  thin  veneer  over  the  real 
religion,  which  is  Animism.  In  India,  while  the  Census  Re- 
ports record  only  eight  and  a  half  million  as  Animists,  yet 
there  are  probably  more  than  ten  times  that  number  whose 
Hinduism  displays  little  else,  and  even  the  Mohammedans  in 
many  places  are  affected  by  it. 

There  is  no  agreement  among  scholars  regarding  the  or- 
igin of  Animism.  According  to  a  writer  in  the  Encyclopaedia 
Britannica,  "  Animism  may  have  arisen  out  of  or  simultane- 
ously with  animatism  as  a  primitive  explanation  of  many  dif- 
ferent phenomena;  if  animatism  was  originally  applied  to 
non-human  or  inanimate  objects,  animism  may  from  the  out- 
set have  been  in  vogue  as  a  theory  of  the  nature  of  men. 
Lists  of  phenomena  from  the  contemplation  of  which  the  sav- 
age was  led  to  believe  in  Animism  have  been  given  by  Dr. 
Tylor,  Herbert  Spencer,  Mr.  Andrew  Lang  and  others;  an 
animated  controversy  arose  between  these  writers  as  to  the 
priority  of  their  respective  lists.  Among  these  phenomena 
are :  trance  and  unconsciousness,  sickness,  death,  clairvoyance, 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  11 

dreams,  apparitions  of  the  dead,  wraiths,  hallucinations, 
echoes,  shadows  and  reflections."  According  to  this  theory 
evolution  accounts  for  the  growth  of  religious  ideas.  But  all 
are  not  in  accord  with  this  theory ;  it  is  opposed  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. "  A  dispassionate  study  of  heathen  religions,"  says 
Warneck,  "  confirms  the  view  of  Paul  that  heathenism  is  a 
fall  from  a  better  knowledge  of  God.  In  earlier  days  hu- 
manity had  a  greater  treasure  of  spiritual  goods.  But  the 
knowledge  of  God's  eternal  power  and  divinity  was  neglected. 
The  Almighty  was  no  longer  feared  or  worshiped;  depend- 
ence upon  Him  was  renounced;  and  this  downward  course 
was  continued  till  nothing  but  a  dim  presentiment  of  Him 
was  left.  The  creature  stepped  into  the  place  of  the  Crea- 
tor, and  the  vital  power,  the  soul-stuff  and  the  spirits  of  the 
dead  came  to  be  worshiped."  10  This  view  is  not  exploded 
by  science,  for  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica  concludes  its  dis- 
cussion on  the  subject  by  saying:  "Even,  therefore,  if  we 
can  say  that  at  the  present  day  the  gods  are  entirely  spiritual, 
it  is  clearly  possible  to  maintain  that  they  have  been  spiritual- 
ized pari  passu  with  the  increasing  importance  of  the  ani- 
mistic view  of  nature  and  of  the  greater  prominence  of 
eschatological  beliefs.  The  animistic  origin  of  religion  is 
therefore  not  proven/' 

Aside  from  the  question  of  origin  we  return  to  its  con- 
tent. It  is  in  its  teaching  regarding  man's  soul  and  the  su- 
preme importance  of  the  immaterial  that  Animism  affords  a 
point  of  contact  with  such  words  of  Christ  as  "  What  shall  it 
profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul."  It  is  the  loss  of  the  soul,  the  spirit,  the  invisible  life- 
principle  that  the  Animist  fears :  but  this  fear  brings  him 
into  a  life-long  bondage  to  superstitions. 

Among  the  Basutos  in  Africa  it  is  held  that  a  man  walk- 

10  "  The  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism,"  p.  103.     Compare  also 
Ellinwood's  "  Oriental  Religions  and  Christianity,"  p.  225. 


12     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ing  by  the  brink  of  a  river  may  lose  bis  life  if  bis  sbadow 
falls  on  tbe  water,  for  a  crocodile  may  seize  it  and  draw 
bim  in;  in  Tasmania,  Nortb  and  South  America  is  found 
the  conception  that  the  soul  is  somehow  identical  with  the 
shadow  of  a  man.  For  some  of  the  Red  Indians  the  Roman 
custom  of  receiving  the  breath  of  a  dying  man  was  no  mere 
pious  duty  but  a  means  of  ensuring  that  his  soul  was  trans- 
ferred to  a  new  body.  Other  familiar  conceptions  identify 
the  soul  with  the  liver  or  the  heart,  with  the  reflected  figure 
seen  in  the  pupil  of  the  eye  and  with  the  blood.  Although 
the  soul  is  often  distinguished  from  the  vital  principle,  there 
are  many  cases  in  which  a  state  of  unconsciousness  is  ex- 
plained as  due  to  the  absence  of  the  soul ;  in  South  Australia 
wilyamarrdba  (without  soul)  is  the  word  used  for  insensible. 
So  too  the  autohypnotic  trance  of  the  magician  or  shaman  is 
regarded  as  due  to  his  visit  to  distant  regions  or  the  nether 
world,  of  which  he  brings  back  an  account. 

"  In  many  parts  of  the  world  it  is  held  that  the  human 
body  is  the  seat  of  more  than  one  soul;  in  the  island  of  Nias 
four  are  distinguished,  the  shadow  and  the  intelligence,  which 
die  with  the  body,  a  tutelary  spirit,  termed  begoe,  and  a  sec- 
ond which  is  carried  on  the  head."  "  Just  as  among  western 
nations  the  ghost  of  a  dead  person  is  held  to  haunt  the  church- 
yard or  the  place  of  death,  although  more  orthodox  ideas  may 
be  held  by  the  same  person  as  to  the  nature  of  a  future  life, 
so  the  savage,  more  consistently,  assigns  different  abodes  to 
the  multiple  souls  with  which  he  credits  man.  Of  the  four 
souls  of  a  Dakota  Indian  one  is  held  to  stay  with  the  corpse, 
another  in  the  village,  a  third  goes  into  the  air,  while  the 
fourth  goes  to  the  land  of  souls,  where  its  lot  may  depend  on 
its  rank  in  this  life,  its  sex,  mode  of  death  or  sepulture,  on  the 
due  observance  of  funeral  ritual,  or  many  other  points. 
From  the  belief  in  the  survival  of  the  dead  arose  the  practice 
of  offering  food,  lighting  fires,  etc.,  at  the  grave,  at  first, 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  13 

maybe,  as  an  act  of  friendship  or  filial  piety,  later  as  an  act  of 
worship.  The  simple  offering  of  food  or  shedding  of  blood 
at  the  grave  develops  into  an  elaborate  system  of  sacrifice; 
even  where  ancestor-worship  is  not  found,  the  desire  to  pro- 
vide the  dead  with  comforts  in  the  future  life  may  lead  to  the 
sacrifice  of  wives,  slaves,  animals,  etc.,  to  the  breaking  or 
burning  of  objects  at  the  grave  or  to  the  provision  of  the  ferry- 
man's toll,  a  coin  put  in  the  mouth  of  the  corpse  to  pay  the 
traveling  expenses  of  the  soul.  But  all  is  not  finished  with 
the  passage  of  the  soul  to  the  land  of  the  dead ;  the  soul  may 
return  to  avenge  its  death  by  helping  to  discover  the  murderer, 
or  to  wreak  vengeance  for  itself ;  there  is  a  widespread  belief 
that  those  who  die  a  violent  death  become  malignant  spirits 
and  endanger  the  lives  of  those  who  come  near  the  haunted 
spot ;  the  woman  who  dies  in  child-birth  becomes  a  pontianalc, 
and  threatens  the  life  of  human  beings;  and  man  resorts  to 
magical  or  religious  means  of  repelling  his  spiritual  dan- 
gers." n 

It  is  clear  from  the  beliefs  of  the  non-Mohammedans  of 
Malaysia  that  all  things,  organic  and  inorganic  were  once 
credited  with  the  possession  of  souls.  This  primitive  Ani- 
mism survives  most  distinctly  in  the  well-known  Moslem 
Malay  ceremonies  connected  with  the  rice-soul  at  seed-time  or 
harvest,  but  it  is  also  traceable  in  a  large  number  of  other 
practices.  We  are  told  that  whenever  a  peasant  injures  any- 
thing he  must  propitiate  its  personality,  its  living  essence,  its 
soul,  its  tutelary  spirit  —  call  it  what  we  will.  If  the  hunter 
slays  a  deer  he  must  excuse  himself ;  it  is  not  the  man  but  the 
gun  or  the  knife  or  the  leaden  bullet  that  must  answer  for 
the  deed.  Should  a  man  wish  to  mine  or  to  set  up  a  house,  he 
must  begin  by  propitiating  the  spirits  of  the  turned-up  soil ; 
should  he  desire  to  fish,  he  will  address  the  spirits  of  the  sea 
and  even  the  fish  themselves ;  should  he  contemplate  planting, 

11  "  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,"  art.  Animism, 


14     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

he  begins  by  acknowledging  that  rice  has  a  living  essence  of 
its  own  which  he  is  bonnd  to  treat  with  respect.  In  short,  he 
considers  that  all  nature  is  teeming  with  life  and  that  his  own 
soul  is  walking  in  the  midst  of  invisible  foes, 

All  of  these  evil  spirits  find  worshipers  among  Moslems  in 
the  Malay  States  to-day.  The  pawang  or  witch-doctor  and 
not  the  Moslem  priest  is  called  in  to  exorcise  them.  This  he 
does  with  old-fashioned  magic  with  admixture  of  the  names  of 
Allah  and  Mohammed.  "  The  pawang  or  witch-doctor  is  in 
great  demand  by  orthodox  Mohammedan  Malays,  especially 
in  times  of  sickness,  although  he  often  appeals  openly  to  Siva 
or  uses  such  language  as  the  following : 

"  I  am  the  equal  of  the  Archangels, 
I  sit  upon  God's  Judgment-seat, 
And  lean  on  the  pillar  of  God's  Throne  of  Glory." 12 

In  reading  a  standard  work  on  Animism  by  Kruijt,  I 
noted  the  following  particulars  in  which  Animism  and  Islam 
agree.  The  correspondence  is  the  more  remarkable  because 
my  experiences  have  been  limited  to  East  Arabia  and  Egypt. 
That  is  to  say  Islam  in  its  cradle  already  had  these  features 
of  paganism  or  primitive  Animism: 

The  putting  of  blood  upon  the  door-posts  and  the  founda- 
tions when  a  house  is  being  built  (p.  23).  The  special  im- 
portance of  the  placenta  as  the  double  of  the  child  (p.  26). 
Hair  as  the  seat  of  the  soul  (pp.  26-37).  Among  the  pagans 
there  are  ceremonies  connected  with  the  shaving  of  the  hair 
in  infancy.  The  Toradjas  nail  bits  of  the  human  scalp  or 
shreds  of  hair  to  the  palm  trees  to  make  them  more  fruitful. 
The  same  is  done  with  the  hair  of  infants.  When  a  mother 
leaves  her  child  for  a  journey  she  ties  some  of  her  own  hair 
to  that  of  the  child  so  that  "  the  child  believes  the  mother  is 
still  present."     Hair  offerings  take  place  as  in  Islam.     The 

12  Chas.  E.  G.  Tisdall  in  "  The  Missionary  Review  of  the  World,"  1916. 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  15 

finger  nails  are  connected  with  the  soul  and  have  spiritual 
value  (p.  38).  Also  the  teeth  (p.  39).  Spittle,  perspira- 
tion, tears  and  the  other  excretions  of  the  body  all  contain 
soul-stuff  (pp.  40-47)  and  one  may  see  in  all  the  supersti- 
tions of  the  animist  the  same  practices  that  are  related  of 
Mohammed  the  Prophet  and  his  companions  in  Moslem 
Tradition.  (See  references  given  later.)  The  use  of  urine 
as  medicine  is  not  more  common  among  pagans  of  Celebes 
than  in  Moslem  lands  where  the  practice  of  Mohammed  the 
Prophet  and  his  teaching  is  still  supreme.  One  needs  only 
to  consult  books  like  Ed  Damiri,  or  Tub-en-Nabawi.  The 
use  of  blood  of  animals,  of  saliva,  of  blowing,  spitting  and 
stroking  in  order  to  bring  benefit  to  the  patient  is  universal 
among  animists ;  it  was  also  common  in  early  Islam  and  is 
to-day.  It  is  recorded  in  early  tradition  that  Mohammed 
practiced  cures  in  this  manner.  In  Java  and  Sumatra  spit- 
ting is  a  common  method  for  curing  the  sick  (pp.  62-63). 
Among  Animists  amulets  and  anklets  are  worn  to  keep  the 
soul  in  the  body ;  at  the  time  of  death  the  nose,  the  ears,  the 
mouth,  etc.,  are  carefully  plugged  up  to  prevent  the  soul 
escaping.  These  customs  at  the  time  of  burial  are  universal 
also  in  Islam  (p.  76). 

Among  Animists  sneezing  is  considered  unfortunate,  for 
then  the  soul  tries  to  escape  from  the  body;  yawning  is  on 
the  other  hand  a  good  sign,  for  the  breath  comes  inward. 
Perhaps  for  this  reason  the  Moslems  everywhere  ask  forgive- 
ness of  God  when  they  sneeze,  but  praise  Him  when  they 
yawn  (pp.  92-93). 

The  belief  that  souls  of  men  may  inhabit  animals  such  as 
dogs,  cats,  gazelles,  snakes,  etc.,  is  Animistic.  The  same  is 
taught  in  Moslem  books,  for  example  in  "  The  Arabian 
Nights,"  which  gives  us  a  faithful  picture  of  popular  Islam. 
The  bones  of  animals  contain  soul  matter  and  are  therefore 
dreaded  by  the  animist  or  used  for  special  purposes  of  good 


16     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

or  ill  (pp.  128).  We  may  connect  with  this  the  belief  of 
the  Moslems  that  bones  are  the  food  of  jinn  and  must  not  be 
touched.  Mr.  Kruijt  shows  in  Chapter  VI  of  his  book 
(p.  157)  that  soul-stuff  exists  in  certain  metals,  iron,  gold, 
silver,  lead.  These  are  therefore  powerful  protectors  against 
evil  spirits.  Iron  objects  are  used  to  defend  infants  in  the 
cradle  (p.  161).  The  same  practice  is  carried  on  in  Arabia, 
Egypt,  Persia  and  Morocco. 

The  soul  after  death  takes  its  flight  into  the  animal  kingdom 
(pp.  171-180)  ;  especially  changing  to  dwell  in  butterflies, 
birds,  mice,  lizards,  snakes.  May  we  not  connect  with  this 
the  teaching  of  Islam  that  the  souls  of  Moslem  martyrs  go 
into  the  crops  of  green  birds  until  the  resurrection  day  ?  Or 
closer  yet  is  the  common  belief  in  metempsychosis  based  upon 
Koran  legends,  developed  in  the  commentaries.  Does  not 
the  Koran  teach  that  Jews  were  changed  into  apes  and  Tradi- 
tion tell  us  that  Jews  and  Christians  were  changed  into  hogs  ? 

When  we  read  the  pages  of  Kruijt  on  the  Fetish  (pp.  197— 
232)  we  are  struck  in  almost  every  paragraph  with  parallel 
beliefs  current  in  Islam.  Stones  are  sacred  because  they 
contain  spirits.  Trees  are  sacred  for  the  same  reason :  "  If 
a  man  has  been  successful  in  fighting,  it  has  not  been  his 
natural  strength  of  arm,  quickness  of  eye,  or  readiness  of 
resource  that  has  won  success ;  he  has  certainly  got  the  mana 
of  a  spirit  or  of  some  deceased  warrior  to  empower  him, 
conveyed  in  an  amulet  of  a  stone  round  his  neck,  or  a  tuft  of 
leaves  in  his  belt,  in  a  tooth  hung  upon  a  finger  of  his  bow 
hand,  or  in  the  form  of  words  with  which  he  brings  super- 
natural assistance  to  his  side"  (p.  201).  Word  for  word 
this  might  be  said  of  Moslems  to-day. 

With  regard  to  stone-worship  Kruijt  tells  us  of  sacred 
stones  in  the  Indian  Archipelago  (pp.  204-210)  which  re- 
ceive worship  because  they  fell  from  heaven  (cf.  "  The  Black 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  17 

Stone  at  Mecca  ")  or  because  of  their  special  shape.  Among 
the  Dajaks  of  Serawak,  Chalmers  tells  of  the  interior  of  a 
Lundu  house  at  one  end  of  which  were  collected  the  relics  of 
the  tribe.  "  These  consisted  of  several  round-looking  stones, 
two  deers'  heads,  and  other  inferior  trumpery.  The  stones 
turn  black  if  the  tribe  is  to  be  beaten  in  war,  and  red  if  to 
be  victorious ;  any  one  touching  them  would  be  sure  to  die ; 
if  lost,  the  tribe  would  be  ruined."  (p.  209.)  The  Black 
Stone  at  Mecca  is  also  believed  to  have  changed  color. 

Tree-worship,  by  hanging  amulets  on  the  tree  to  produce 
fertility  or  bring  blessing,  is  common  in  Celebes  and  New 
Guinea  (p.  215)  not  only,  but  in  Arabia,  Egypt  and  Morocco. 
The  effect  of  all  this,  even  on  the  conception  of  God  in  Islam, 
is  of  importance.  .Here  also  there  are  points  of  contact  as 
well  as  points  of  contrast.  "  What  has  Animism  made  of 
God,"  asks  Warneck,  "  the  holy  and  gracious  Creator  and 
Governor  of  the  world  ?  It  has  divested  Him  of  His  omni- 
potence, His  love,  His  holiness  and  righteousness  and  has 
put  Him  out  of  all  relation  with  man.  The  idea  of  God  has 
become  a  mere  decoration ;  His  worship  a  caricature.  Spirits 
inferior  to  men,  whose  very  well-being  is  dependent  on  men's 
moods,  are  feared  instead  of  the  Almighty;  the  rule  of  an 
inexorable  fate  is  substituted  for  the  wise  and  good  govern- 
ment of  God.  Absurd  lies  are  believed  concerning  the  life 
after  death,  and  efforts  are  made  to  master  the  malevolent 
spirits  by  a  childish  magic."     Is  this  not  true  of  Arabia  also  % 

Regarding  the  impotence  of  Mohammedanism  to  reject 
animistic  influences  which  have  dragged  down  to  its  lowest 
levels  the  ideas  of  God,  Warneck  goes  on  to  say,  "  Moham- 
medanism even  with  its  higher  idea  of  God,  cannot  introduce 
into  the  heathenism  which  it  influences  any  development  for 
the  better.  The  heathen,  who  have  passed  over  to  Islam, 
quietly  retain  their  demon-worship.     Instead  of  the  purer 


18     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

idea  of  God  raising  them,  they  drag  it  down  to  their  own 
level,  a  proof  of  the  tremendous  down-drag  which  animistic 
religions  possess"  (p.  100). 

"  Mohammedanism,"  he  says  in  another  place,  "  has  been 
unable  to  remove  the  fear  of  evil  spirits.  On  the  contrary, 
it  assists  in  the  expulsion  of  the  spirits  by  its  malims.  It 
allows  the  people  to  go  on  worshiping  ancestors,  and  adds 
new  spirits  of  Arabic  origin  to  those  already  worshiped. 
Islam  nowhere  appears  among  Animists  as  a  deliverer " 
(pp.  114-115.) 

The  missionary  is  not  so  much  concerned  after  all  with 
the  fact  of  Animism  in  Islam  as  he  is  with  the  utter  failure  of 
Islam  to  meet  Animistic  practices  and  overcome  them. 
Gottfried  Simon  has  shown  conclusively  that  Islam  cannot 
uproot  pagan  practices  or  remove  the  terror  of  spirits  and 
demon-worship  in  Sumatra  and  Java.13  This  is  true  every- 
where. In  its  conflict  with  Animism  Islam  has  not  been  the 
victor  but  the  vanquished.  Christianity  on  the  contrary,  as 
Harnack  has  shown,  did  win  in  its  conflict  with  demon- 
worship  and  is  winning  to-day.14 

Animism  in  Islam  offers  points  of  contact  and  contrast  that 
may  well  be  used  by  the  missionary.  Christianity's  message 
and  power  must  be  applied  to  the  superstitions  of  Islam  and 
especially  to  these  pagan  practices.  The  fear  of  spirits  can 
be  met  by  the  love  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  terror  of  death  by 
the  repose  and  confidence  of  the  Christian;  true  exorcism  is 
not  found  in  the  zar  but  in  prayer;  so-called  demonic  pos- 
session can  often  be  cured  by  medical  skill ;  and  superstition 
rooted  out  by  education.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Lord  of  the 
Unseen  World,  especially  the  world  of  demons  and  angels. 
Christ  points  out  the  true  ladder  of  Jacob  and  the  angels  of 

is  "  The  Progress  and  Arrest  of  Islam  in  Sumatra,"  London,  1912. 
i*  Harnack :    "  The  Mission  and  Expansion  of  Christianity,"  Vol.  I, 
Book  II,  Chapter  III. 


ISLAM  AND  ANIMISM  19 

God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son  of  Man  —  He 
is  the  sole  channel  of  communication  with  the  other  world. 
With  Him  as  our  living,  loving  Saviour  and  Friend  we  have 
no  fear  of  "  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day  nor  of  the  pestilence 
that  walketh  in  darkness." 

In  order  to  guide  the  student  for  further  study  in  regard  to  Ani- 
mism and  Islam  we  give  the  keys  that  will  unlock  the  subject;  for  if 
Moslems  know  that  we  have  some  idea  of  their  superstition  they  will 
tell  us  more.  The  subject  needs  thorough  investigation,  especially  in 
Egypt.  The  best  book  on  Animism  is  by  A.  C.  Kruijt,  a  Dutch  mis- 
sionary in  the  East  Indies,  and  his  division  of  the  subject  is  very  sug- 
gestive. I  here  translate  the  table  of  contents  of  his  book.  Every  sub- 
ject leads  out  into  a  wide  field  of  thought  and  investigation. 

I.    Animism. 

(1)  The  Personal  soul-stuff  of  Man  found  especially  in  the 
Head,  the  Intestines,  the  Blood,  Placenta,  Hair,  Teeth, 
Saliva,  Sweat,  Tears,  Urine,  etc. 

(2)  Means  by  which  this  soul-stuff  is  appropriated,  e.g., 
Spitting,  Blowing,  Blood-wiping,  and  Touch. 

(3)  The  Personal  Soul  in  Man:  The  Shadow,  the  Dream,  The 
Escape  of  the  Soul  through  Sneezing,  Yawning,  etc. 
The  Were  Wolf  and  the  Witch. 

(4)  The  Soul-stuff  of  Animals. 

(5)  Soul-stuff  of  Plants,  Sacred  Plants. 

( 6 )  Soul-stuff  of  Inanimate  Objects  —  Metals,  Iron,  Gold,  etc. 

(7)  The  Transmigration  of  the  Soul,  especially  in  Animals  — 
The  Firefly,  the  Butterfly,  the  Bird,  the  Mouse,  the  Snake, 
the  Lizard. 

(8)  Special  honor  paid  to  Animals,  Fetishes,  Stones  and  Amu- 
lets. 

II.  Spiritism,  or  the  Doctrine  of  the  Soul. 

( 1 )  The  Living  Man  —  in  regard  to  his  Soul,  its  Nature. 

(2)  The  Life  of  the  Soul  after  Death  —  It  remains  in  the 
Grave  or  in  the  House  —  Its  Journey  to  Soul  Land. 

(3)  The  Worship  of  Souls  —  Either  through  a  medium  or 
without  a  medium  —  In  Special  Places  or  in  Special  Ob- 
jects. The  Priesthood  that  gives  communication  with 
the  souls  of  the  Departed. 

III.  Demonology. 

(1)  Introduction  on  the  Creator  and  Creation. 

(2)  The  Spiritual  Part  of  Creation. 

(3)  Animals  as  Messengers  of  the  Gods. 


20      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

(4)  Predestination. 

( 5 )  Honor  of  man  —  Saint-worship. 

(6)  Demi-gods. 

(7)  The  Home  of  the  Gods. 

(8)  Agricultural  Gods  and  Sea  Gods. 

(9)  Tree  Spirits  and  other  Demons. 

(10)   How  demons  show  themselves  and  how  one  drives  them 
away. 


CHAPTER  II 

ANIMISM    IN    THE    CREED    AND    THE    USE    OF    THE    ROSARY 

One  has  only  to  read  popular  expositions  of  the  Koran 
texts  that  refer  to  angels,  jinn,  iblis  (the  devil),  kismet 
(fate),  and  the  many  traditions  regarding  the  creation  of  the 
soul  and  its  transmigration  to  realize  that  the  world  of 
Moslem  thought  and  that  of  Animism  are  not  distinct.  Not 
only  in  popular  Islam,  its  magic  (high  and  low),  its  amulets, 
charms,  talismans,  magic  squares,  sacred  trees,  etc.,  but  in 
the  sacred  literature  of  Islam  we  find  pagan  beliefs  and  prac- 
tices perpetuated.  The  shortest  of  all  monotheistic  creeds, 
the  Kalima,  has  itself  become  a  species  of  magic  and  at  least 
in  three  of  the  six  articles  of  the  expanded  statement  of 
orthodox  belief  we  find  animistic  teaching  and  interpreta- 
tion. "  I  believe  in  Allah  and  His  angels,  and  His  books, 
and  His  prophets,  and  the  Resurrection  and  the  Predestina- 
tion of  good  and  evil."  The  doctrine  of  God  includes  the 
magical  use  of  His  names  and  attributes.  The  doctrine  of 
angels  includes  not  only  demonology  but  jinn  fear  and  wor- 
ship as  real  as  in  Paganism.  The  belief  in  revelation  has  in 
popular  Islam  almost  degenerated  into  bibliomancy  and 
bibliolatry.  Do  the  fellahin  of  Egypt  not  take  their  oath 
on  Al  Bohhari?  The  prophets,  especially  Solomon  and 
Mohammed,  had  intercourse  with  demons  and  jinn.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Koran  and  Tradition  man  is  created  with  a  double- 
ego  or  two  souls  (the  Qarina)  just  as  in  the  pagan  mytholo- 
gies. The  beliefs  regarding  the  relation  of  the  soul  to  the 
body  after  death,  and  the  doctrine  of  metempsychosis  re- 
semble the  beliefs  of  Animism.     Their  belief  in  how  the  spirit 

leaves  the  body ;  the  benefit  of  speedy  burial ;  the  questioning 

21 


22     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

by  the  two  angels  of  the  tomb ;  the  visiting  of  the  graves  and 
the  presentation  of  offerings  of  food  and  drink  on  the  graves : 
all  this  is  mixed  np  with  pagan  practices  which  find  their 
parallel  in  Animism.  Finally,  the  whole  eschatology  of 
Islam  is  a  strange  mixture  of  Judaism,  Christianity  and 
Paganism. 

Some  of  these  practices  based  on  the  creed  we  will  recur  to 
later;  here  we  limit  our  discussion  to  the  use  of  the  Koran, 
the  creed  formula  and  the  rosary  in  ways  that  are  condemned 
by  the  creed  itself.  "  There  is  no  god  but  Allah  "  —  yet  His 
Book,  His  names,  His  very  attributes  are  used  as  amulets 
against  demon  and  jinn  or  as  fetish  receive  the  reverence  due 
to  Himself  alone.  Every  missionary  knows  that  the  Koran 
itself  has  the  power  of  a  fetish  in  popular  Islam.  Not  only 
is  the  book  eternal  in  its  origin  and  use  for  mystic  purposes, 
but  only  those  who  are  ritually  pure  may  touch  it.  Certain 
chapters  are  of  special  value  against  evil  spirits.  It  is  re- 
lated in  Tradition,  e.g.  that  "  whosoever  reads  the  105th 
chapter  and  the  94th  chapter  of  the  Koran  at  morning  prayers 
will  never  suffer  pain  in  his  teeth  "  !  This  is  one  reason  why 
these  two  chapters,  i.e.  of  the  "  Elephant "  and  the  one 
entitled  "  Have  we  not  expanded,"  are  almost  universally 
used  for  the  early  prayers.  At  funerals  they  always  read 
the  chapter  "  Y.S." ;  and  then,  in  fear  of  jinn  and  spirits,  the 
chapter  of  the  Jinn.  One  has  only  to  read  this  last  chapter 
with  the  commentaries  on  it  to  see  how  large  a  place  the 
doctrine  occupies  in  popular  Islam.  The  cure  for  headache 
is  said  to  be  the  13th  verse  of  the  chapter  called  "  Al-Ana'am  " 
or  the  "  Cattle,"  which  reads :  "  His  is  whatsoever  dwells 
in  the  night  or  in  the  day:  He  both  hears  and  knows." 
Against  robbers  at  night  a  verse  of  the  chapter  called  "  Eepen- 
tance  "  is  read,  etc.,  etc.1     No  religion  has  ever  made  so  much 

i  Cf.  Even  Al  Ghazali  who  is  quoted  in  book  of  "  Wird,"  Mujardbat  of 
Ahmed  Dirbi,  p.  80. 


ANIMISM  m  THE  CEEED 


23 


of  its  sacred  book  in  a  magic  way  as  Islam.  Not  only  do  we 
find  bibliolatry,  i.e.  the  worship  of  the  Book,  but  also  biblio- 
mancy,  i.e.  the  use  of  the  Koran  for  magical  or  superstitious 
purposes.  This  is  perhaps  based  on  Judaism.  We  find  that 
Jews  used  the  Torah  for  protection  purposes  and  in  a  magical 
way  as  do  the  Mohammedans.  When  a  person  was  danger- 
ously ill  the  Pentateuch  was  opened,  and  the  name  which 
first  met  the  eye  was  added  to  the  patient's  name,  in  order  to 
avert  the  evil  destiny.2 

Just  as  Moslems  to-day  use  special  names  of  God  and 
special  chapters  as  "  cure-alls ' '  so  did  the  Jews  of  the  Dis- 
persion. The  following  verses  in  the  original  Hebrew  were 
used  on  amulets : 


Genesis 


I:    1 


I:    1-5 


Exodus 


To  make  oneself  invisible  (S.  Z. 
32a). 

( The  last  letters  only. )  To  confuse 
a  person's  mind  (M.  V.  25)  ;  as 
preservation  against  pollution  (S.  Z. 
lib)  ;  and  for  other  purposes 
("  Cat.  Anglo- Jew.  Hist.  Exh."  'No. 
1874;  Schwab). 

To  lighten  child-birth  (M.  V.  59). 
On  using  a  divining  rod  (M.  V.  80). 
Against     the    crying    of    children 
(M.  V.  64). 

Against  danger  on  a  journey 
(M.  V.  34). 

To  shorten  one's  way  on  a  journey 
(M.  V.  23)  ;  in  the  lying-in  room 
(M.  V.  80). 

For  protection  against  a  fierce  dog. 
(For  greater  security,  the  traveler 

The  Jewish  Encyclopedia,"  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  202-203. 


XXI:    1 

XXIV:    2 

XXV:  14 

XXXII :  31 

XLIX:18 


XI:    7 


24     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 


XI:    8 

XV:    2 
XV:  16 


is  advised  to  carry  a  stout  stick  as 

well,  which  gave  rise  to  the  saying, 

"  He  has  both  a  verse   ('posuk') 

and  a  stick  ('stecken')  with  him" 

applied    to    one    well    fortified    on 

every  side.) 

To  lighten  child-birth  (M.  V.  59). 

To  shorten  one's  way  (M.  V.  24). 

To  shorten  the  way  (M.  V.  23)  ;  to 

insure    safety   in    a    court    of   law 

(M.  V.  32) ;  against  fear  (M.  V. 

65). 

Against  bleeding  (M.  V.  45). 

In  the  lying-in  room  (M.  V.  91). 

Against,  witchcraft  (M.  V.  41). 

To  shorten  the  way  (M.  V.  23). 

The  same  (M.  V.  23). 

Against  fire  (M.  V.  10,  11;  S.  Z. 

27). 

Against  the  evil  eye  (M.  V.  41). 

In  lying-in  rooms  (M.  V.  91). 

Against  fever  (M.  V.  50). 

On  taking  children  to  school  (S.  Z. 

30b). 

A  still  larger  number  of  verses  were  taken  from  the  Psalms 
for  similar  purposes  and  used  as  amulets.  Most  common, 
however,  was  the  use  of  the  names  of  God  and  of  angels. 

The  Koran  is  not  only  the  most  excellent  of  all  books,  but 
the  essential  Word  of  God  contained  therein  is  eternal  and 
uncreated.  It  was  originally  written  by  God  himself  on  the 
Preserved  Tablet,  then  brought  down  in  sheets  (suhuf)  to 
the  lowest  heaven  on  the  night  of   Al   Qadr  where  they 

s  "Jewish  Encyclopedia,"  p.  203. 


XVII:  16 

XXII:  17 

XXXIII :  23 

XXXIV:    6 

Lev. 

I:    1 

Num. 

XI:    2 

XI:  12 

XXIII :  23 

Deut. 

VI:    4-9 

XXIII:    4 

ANIMISM  m  THE  CREED  25 

were  preserved  in  a  place  called  the  House  of  Majesty 
(Beit-ul-'Izza).  From  here  they  were  brought  to  Mohammed 
as  required  by  circumstances  in  revelations.  What  Professor 
Hurgronje  says  of  the  Moslems  of  Sumatra  is  true  of  all  the 
illiterate  masses  in  Islam  and  even  of  many  of  the  so-called 
literates  even  in  Arabia  and  Egypt : 

"  This  book,  once  a  world-reforming  power,  now  serves  but 
to  be  chanted  by  teachers  and  laymen  according  to  definite 
rules.  The  rules  are  not  difficult,  but  not  a  thought  is  ever 
given  to  the  meaning  of  the  words;  the  Quran  is  chanted 
simply  because  its  recital  is  believed  to  be  a  meritorious  work. 
This  disregard  of  the  sense  of  the  words  rises  to  such  a  pitch 
that  even  pandits  who  have  studied  the  commentaries  —  not 
to  speak  of  laymen  —  fail  to  notice  when  the  verses  they 
recite  condemn  as  sinful  things  which  both  they  and  the 
listeners  do  every  day,  nay  even  during  the  very  common 
ceremony  itself. 

"  The  inspired  code  of  the  universal  conquerors  of  thirteen 
centuries  ago  has  grown  to  be  no  more  than  a  mere  text-book 
of  sacred  music,  in  the  practice  of  which  a  valuable  portion 
of  the  youth  of  well-educated  Muslims  is  wasted  and  which  is 
recited  on  a  number  of  ceremonial  occasions  in  the  life  of 
every  Mohammedan."  4 

In  all  Moslems  lands  on  the  occasions  of  birth,  death  or 
marriage  the  Koran  is  used  as  a  charm.  It  is  put  near  the 
head  of  the  dying,  and  on  the  head  of  a  new-born  infant  for 
good-luck.  The  belief  is  universal  in  the  Mohammedan 
world  that  Saf ar  is  pregnant  with  evil,  and  that  one  may  feel 
very  thankful  when  he  reaches  the  last  Wednesday  of  this 
month  without  mishap.  This  day  nowhere  passes  wholly 
without  notice.  "  In  Acheh,"  says  Hurgronje,  "  it  is  called 
Rabn  Abeh,  '  the  final  Wednesday.'  Many  take  a  bath  on 
this  day,  the  dwellers  on  the  coast  in  the  sea,  others  in  the 

*  "  The  Achenese,"  pp.  343-4. 


26     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

river  or  at  the  well.  It  is  considered  desirable  to  use  for  this 
bath  water  consecrated  by  contact  with  certain  verses  of  the 
Koran.  To  this  end  a  teunghu  in  the  gampong  gives  to  all 
who  ask  slips  of  paper  on  which  he  has  written  the  seven 
verses  of  the  Koran  in  which  Allah  addresses  certain  men 
with  the  word  salam  (blessing  or  peace)."  5 

It  is  the  common  belief  in  East  Arabia  that  the  Koran  if 
wrapped  in  a  fresh  sheep-skin  will  withstand  the  hottest  fire 
and  never  a  page  be  singed  or  burned.  I  was  repeatedly 
challenged  to  this  ordeal  with  the  Gospel  vs.  the  Koran  during 
my  early  missionary  days  at  Bahrein.  That  the  sacred  char- 
acter of  the  work  is  not  limited  to  the  text,  but  extends  to 
paper  and  ink  is  clear  from  the  process  of  insulation  in  taking 
oath.  In  India  a  hog's  bristle  put  on  the  ball  of  the  thumb 
which  then  rests  on  the  Koran  allows  the  swearer  to  perjure 
himself  without  danger.  So  holy  a  book  is  used  therefore  to 
drive  away  demons.  No  evil  spirit  visits  the  room  where  it 
rests  on  the  highest  shelf  —  the  place  of  honor. 

This  belief  that  the  Koran  can  drive  away  devils  is  exactly 
paralleled  by  practices  in  China.  De  Groot  writes  ("  The 
Keligion  of  the  Chinese/'  p.  51)  :  "I  have  said  that  classical 
works  are  among  the  best  weapons  in  the  war  against  specters. 
Even  the  simple  presence  of  a  copy,  or  a  fragment,  or  a  leaf 
of  a  classic  is  a  mighty  preservative,  and  an  excellent  medi- 
cine for  spectral  disease.  As  early  as  the  Han  dynasty, 
instances  are  mentioned  of  men  having  protected  themselves 
against  danger  and  misfortune  by  reciting  classical  phrases. 
But  also  writings  and  sayings  of  any  kind,  provided  they  be 
of  an  orthodox  stamp,  destroy  specters  and  their  influences. 
Literary  men,  when  alone  in  the  dark,  insure  their  safety  by 
reciting  their  classics;  should  babies  be  restless  because  of 
the  presence  of  specters,  classical  passages  do  excellent  service 
as  lullabies. " 

s  "  The  Achenese,"  p.  206. 


ANIMISM  IN  THE  CREED  27 

Again  he  speaks  of  the  magical  power  of  the  almanac 
(De  Groot,  p.  53)  :  "  No  house  in  China  may  be  without  a 
copy  of  the  almanac,  or  without  at  least  its  title-page  in  minia- 
ture, printed  on  purpose  with  one  or  two  leaves  affixed,  as  a 
charm,  in  accordance  with  the  pars  pro  toto  principle,  and 
sold  in  shops  for  one  coin  or  cash.  These  charms  are  de- 
posited in  beds,  in  corners  and  cupboards,  and  such  like 
places,  and  worn  on  the  body ;  and  no  bride  passing  from  her 
paternal  home  into  that  of  her  bridegroom  may  omit  the  title- 
page  among  the  exorcising  objects  with  which  her  pocket  is 
for  that  occasion  filled." 

Portions  of  the  Koran  are  lithographed  in  colors  and  sold 
for  the  same  purposes  in  Cairo,  Bombay,  Singapore  and 
Madras.  The  fantastic  combinations  of  Arabic  script  and 
the  intaglio  of  the  design  make  the  charm  all  the  more  potent. 
Men  cannot  decipher  it,  but  demons  can. 

In  the  use  of  the  Rosary  (Subha)  and  its  gradual  spread 
throughout  the  world  of  Islam  we  also  find  evidence  of 
Animistic  superstition.  According  to  Dr.  Goldziher :  "  It 
is  generally  admitted  that  the  use  of  the  rosary,  which  was 
imported  into  Islam,  was  not  adopted  by  the  disciples  of 
Mohammed  until  the  third  century  of  the  Hegira  (622 
A.  D.).  The  following  story  can,  at  any  rate,  be  cited  in 
this  connection.  When  the  Abbaside  Khalif,  Al-Hadi 
(169-170  of  the  Hegira)  forbade  his  mother  Chejzuran,  who 
tried  to  exercise  her  influence  in  political  affairs,  to  take  part 
in  the  affairs  of  state,  he  used  the  following  words :  "  It  is 
not  a  woman's  business  to  meddle  with  the  affairs  of  state; 
you  should  occupy  your  time  with  your  prayers  and  your 
subka."  Erom  this  it  seems  certain  that  in  that  centurv  the 
use  of  the  subha  as  an  instrument  of  devotion  was  common 
only  among  the  inferior  classes  and  had  no  place  among  the 
learned.  When  a  rosary  was  found  in  the  possession  of  a 
certain  pious  saint,  Abu-1-Kasim  al-Junaid,  who  died  in  297 


28     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

of  the  Hegira,  they  attacked  him  for  using  it,  although  he 
belonged  to  the  best  society.  "  I  cannot  give  up/'  said  he, 
"  a  thing  that  serves  to  bring  me  nearer  to  God."  This 
tradition  furnishes  us  with  rare  facts  since  it  shows  us  on 
the  one  hand  that  in  the  social  sphere  the  use  of  the  rosary 
was  common  even  among  the  higher  classes ;  and  on  the  other 
hand  that  the  strict  disciples  of  Mohammed  looked  on  this 
foreign  innovation  which  was  patronized  by  saints  and  pious 
men,  with  displeasure.  To  them  it  was  biaa  that  is,  an 
innovation  without  foundation  in  the  old  Islamic  sunna,  and 
was  consequently  bound  to  stir  a  distrust  among  the  orthodox. 

Even  later  on,  when  the  use  of  the  rosary  had  for  long 
ceased  to  provoke  discontent  in  the  orthodox  Moslems,  the 
controversialists,  whose  principle  was  to  attack  all  "  innova- 
tions/' still  distrusted  any  exaggerations  in  the  usage  of  this 
practice.  But  like  a  great  many  things  that  were  not 
tolerated  at  the  beginning  under  religious  forms,  the  rosary 
introduced  itself  from  private  religious  life  to  the  very 
heart  of  the  mosques. 

Abu  Abdullah  Mohammed  al-'Abdari,  who  died  737  A.H., 
wrote  a  work  of  three  volumes  called  "  Al-Madkhal/'  which 
contains  a  lot  of  interesting  matter  on  the  intimate  life  of 
Islamic  society,  their  superstitions  and  their  popular  customs, 
and  should  be  studied  by  all  who  are  interested  in  the  history 
and  civilization  of  the  Mohammedan  Orient.  "  Among  the 
innovations/'  writes  al-'Abdari,  "  the  rosary  is  to  be  noted.  A 
special  box  is  made  where  it  is  kept;  a  salary  is  fixed  for 
some  one  to  guard  and  keep  it,  and  for  those  who  use  it 
for  Zikr.  ...  A  special  Sheikh  is  appointed  for  it,  with 
the  title  of  Sheikh  al-Subha,  and  with  him  a  servant  with  the 
title  of  Khadim  al-Subha.  These  innovations  are  quite 
modern.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  imam  of  the  mosque  to  sup- 
press such  customs  as  it  is  in  his  power  to  do  so." 

"  The  appearance  of  the  rosary,"  says  Goldziher,  to  quote 


ANIMISM  IN  THE  CKEED  29 

again  from  his  paper,  "  and  the  way  in  which  it  had  heen 
adopted  by  the  faithful  of  the  Sunna,  did  not  pass  unper- 
ceived  by  the  Hadith.  I  believe  that  the  following  story 
which  we  read  in  the  book  called  '  Sunan,'  written  in  the 
third  centurv,  has  to  do  with  the  entrance  of  the  rosary : 

"  '  'Al-Hakam  b.  al-Mubarak  relates  on  the  authority  of 
'Amr  b.  Jahja,  who  had  heard  it  from  his  father,  and  who  in 
his  turn  had  heard  from  his  father :  we  were  sitting  before  the 
door  of  'Abdallah  b.  Masud,  before  the  morning  prayer,  for 
we  were  in  the  habit  of  going  to  the  mosque  in  his  company. 
One  day  we  encountered  Abu  Musa  al-Ash'ari  .  .  .  and  very 
soon  Abu  'Abd  al-Rahman  came  in  his  turn.  Then  Abu 
Musa  said :  "In  former  times,  O  Abu  Rahman,  I  saw  in 
the  mosque  things  that  I  did  not  approve  of ;  but  now,  thank 
God,  I  see  nothing  but  good."  "  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 
said  the  other.  "  If  you  live  long  enough,"  answered  Abu 
Musa,  "  you  will  know.  I  have  seen  in  the  mosque,  people 
who  sat  round  in  circles  (Jcauman  hildkan)  awaiting  the 
moment  of  Salat.  Each  group  was  presided  over  by  a  man 
and  they  held  in  their  hands  small  stones.  The  president 
said  to  them:  i  Repeat  100  Takbir!'6  and  for  one  hun- 
dred times  they  recited  the  formula  of  the  TaJcbir.  Then  he 
used  to  tell  them :  {  Repeat  100  Tahiti !  * 7  And  they  re- 
cited the  formula  of  Tahiti  for  one  hundred  times.  Then  he 
told  them  also :  '  Repeat  100  times  the  Tasbih !  '  8  And 
the  persons  who  were  in  the  group  equally  went  through  this 
exhortation  also."  Then  Abu  'Abd  al-Rahman  asked: 
"  What  did'st  thou  say  when  thou  sawest  these  things  ?  " 
"  Nothing,"  answered  Abu  Musa,  "  because  I  first  wanted  to 
find  out  your  view  and  your  orders."  "  Did  you  not  tell 
them  that  it  would  have  been  more  profitable  for  them  to 

6  Takbir  —  to  repeat  Allahu  Akbar,  God  is  great. 

7  Tahlil  —  to  repeat  La  ilaha  ilia  Allah  —  (The  Creed), 
s  Tasbih  —  to  repeat  Subhan  Allah,  God  be  praised. 


30     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

have  kept  account  of  their  sins  and  did  you  not  tell  them 
that  their  good  actions  would  not  have  been  in  vain  \ '  So 
we  together  repaired  to  the  mosque  and  we  soon  came  across 
one  of  these  groups.  He  stopped  before  them  and  said: 
"  What  do  you  here  ?  "  "  We  have  here/'  they  answered, 
"  small  stones  which  help  us  to  count  the  Takbir,  the  Tahlil 
and  the  Tasbik,  which  we  recite."  But  he  answered  them  in 
these  terms :  "  Sooner  count  your  sins  and  nothing  will  be 
lost  of  your  good  works.  Woe  to  thee,  O  community  of 
Mohammed !  with  what  haste  you  are  going  toward  damna- 
tion ?  Here  are  also  in  great  numbers,  companions  of  your 
Prophet  ?  look  at  these  garments  which  are  not  covered  with 
dust,  these  vessels  that  are  not  yet  broken;  verily  by  him 
who  holds  my  soul  in  his  hands,  your  religion  can  lead  you 
better  than  the  contemporaries  of  Mohammed;  will  you  not 
at  least  open  the  door  of  wrong  ?  "  "  By  Allah,  O  Abu  'Abd 
al-Bahman,"  they  cried,  "  we  mean  but  to  do  right !  '  And 
he  answered  them :  "  There  are  many  who  pretend  to  do 
right,  but  who  cannot  get  at  it,  it  is  to  them  that  the  word  of 
the  Prophet  applies :  There  are  of  those  who  read  the 
Koran,  but  deny  its  teaching,  and  I  swear  it  by  God,  I  doubt 
whether  the  majority  of  these  people  are  not  among  your- 
selves." '  " 

Other  traditions  show  us  the  prophet  protesting  regarding 
some  faithful  women  against  their  using  these  small  stones 
when  reciting  the  litanies  just  mentioned  and  recommending 
the  use  of  the  fingers  when  counting  their  prayers.  "  Let 
them  count  their  prayers  on  their  fingers  (ja'kidna  bil  ana- 
mil)  ;  for  an  account  will  be  taken  of  them." 

All  these  insinuations  found  in  traditions  invented  for  the 
purpose,  denote  a  disapprobation  of  the  use  of  the  rosary,  at 
the  moment  of  its  appearance.  The  use  of  small  stones  in 
the  litanies  was,  it  seems,  an  original  form  of  the  subha,  very 
much  like  the  later  use  of  the  rosary.     It  is  said  of  Abu 


ANIMISM  IN  THE  CKEED  31 

Huraira  that  lie  recited  the  Tasbih  in  his  house  by  the  aid  of 
small  stones  which  he  kept  in  a  purse  (jusabbih  biha).  Let 
us  also  mention  the  severe  words  of  Abdallah,  son  of  the 
Khalif  Omar,  which  he  addressed  to  a  person  who  rattled  his 
stones  in  his  hands  during  prayer  (juharrik  al-Hasa 
Bijedihi),  "  Do  not  do  that,  for  that  is  prompted  by  the 
devil." 

Were  not  the  litanies  ever  counted  in  this  way  before  the 
rosary  was  introduced  ?  One  cannot  be  sure.  Anyway,  it 
seems  very  probable  that  the  traditions  against  this  custom 
date  from  the  time  when  the  rosary  was  introduced  into 
Islam.  The  Tibetan  Buddhists,  long  before  the  Christian 
Era,  used  strings  of  beads,  generally  108  in  number  and  made 
of  jewels,  sandal-wood,  mussel-shells,  and  the  like,  according 
to  the  status  of  their  owners.  Whether  Islam  adopted  the 
rosary  from  India  during  the  Moslem  conquest  is  uncertain, 
but  not  improbable. 

Regarding  the  Christian  use  of  the  rosary  we  read :  "  The 
custom  of  repeatedly  reciting  the  Our  Father  arose  in  the 
monastic  life  of  Egypt  at  an  early  time,  being  recorded  by 
Palladius  and  Sozomen.  The  Hail  Mary  or  Ave  Maria,  on 
the  other  hand,  first  became  a  regular  prayer  in  the  second 
half  of  the  eleventh  century,  though  it  was  not  until  about 
the  thirteenth  century  that  it  was  generally  adopted.  The 
addition  of  the  words  of  Elizabeth,  '  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy 
womb,  Jesus'  (Luke  1:42),  and  the  Angelical  Salutation, 
'  Hail  Mary,  full  of  grace ;  the  Lord  is  with  thee ;  blessed 
art  thou  among  women'  (Luke  1:28),  is  first  mentioned 
about  1130;  but  Bishop  Odo  of  Paris  (1196-1208)  requires 
the  recitation  of  Hail  Mary  together  with  the  Our  Father 
and  the  Creed  as  a  regular  Christian  custom.  The  closing 
petition,  '  Holy  Mary,  Mother  of  God,  pray  for  us  sinners, 
now  and  at  the  hour  of  our  death,'  developed  gradually  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  and  was  regarded  even  by  the  council  of 


m     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Besangon  (1571)  as  a  superfluous  but  pious  custom.  These 
facts  show  that  the  traditions  which  ascribe  the  invention  of 
the  rosary  to  Benedict  of  Nursia,  Bede,  or  Peter  the  Hermit, 
are  untrustworthy,  and  the  same  statement  holds  of  the 
Dominican  tradition  which  makes  Dominic  receive  a  vision 
of  the  Virgin  commanding  him  to  introduce  the  use  of  the 
rosary.  At  the  same  time,  the  rosary  was  originally  an 
essential  Dominican  mode  of  devotion;  though  first  arising 
long  after  the  death  of  the  founder  of  the  order;  but  while 
some  influence  may  have  been  exercised  by  the  acquaintance  of 
oriental  Christians  with  the  Mohammedan  Tasbih,  all  the 
characteristics  of  the  recitation  of  Our  Father,  like  the  medi- 
tations connected  with  it,  can  only  be  explained  by  the  opera- 
tion of  specifically  Christian  ideas."  9 

The  Rosary  in  Islam  is  at  present  used  for  three  distinct 
purposes.  It  is  used  in  prayer  and  Zihr  for  counting  pious 
ejaculations  or  petitions.  It  is  used  for  divining  the  will  of 
God ;  and  it  is  used  in  a  magical  way  for  healing.  The  second 
practice  is  called  Istihhara.  It  is  related  of  one  of  the  wives 
of  Mohammed  that  she  said :  "  The  Prophet  taught  us 
Istihhara,  i.e.  to  know  what  is  best,  just  as  he  taught  us 
verses  from  the  Book,  and  if  any  of  you  wants  anything  let 
him  perform  ablution  and  pray  two  rakk'as  and  read  the 
verse :  i  There  is  no  other  God,  etc.'  To  use  the  rosary  in 
this  way  the  following  things  must  be  observed.  The  rosary 
must  be  grasped  within  the  palms  of  both  hands,  which  are 
then  rubbed  together;  then  the  Fatiha  is  solemnly  repeated, 
after  which  the  user  breathes  upon  the  rosary  with  his  breath 
in  order  to  put  the  magic-power  of  the  chapter  into  the  beads. 
Then  he  seizes  a  particular  bead  and  counts  toward  the 
"  pointer "  bead  using  the  words,  God,  Mohammed,  Abu 
Jahal;  when  the  count  terminates  with  the  name  of  God  it 
means  that  his  request  is  favorably  received,  if  it  terminates 
8  "  Schaff  Herzog  Encyclopedia,"  Vol.  X. 


ANIMISM  IN  THE  CREED  33 

with  Abu  Jahal  it  is  bad,  and  if  with  Mohammed  the  reply 
is  doubtful.  Others  consider  it  more  correct  to  use  these 
three  words :  Adam,  Eve,  the  devil.  When  these  words  are 
used  the  Adam  bead  signifies  approval,  the  devil  bead  dis- 
approval, and  the  Eve  bead  uncertainty,  because  woman's 
judgment  is  fickle.  This  use  of  the  rosary  is  almost  uni- 
versal among  the  common  people  of  North  Africa  and  Egypt. 
When  we  remember  the  high  idealism  with  which  Edwin 
Arnold  has  clothed  the  ninety-nine  names  of  Allah  in  his 
book  on  the  Moslem  rosary  entitled  "  Pearls  of  the  Faith  "  we 
enter  a  word  of  protest  against  the  use  of  such  glorious  names 
for  magic  and  sorcery.  In  this  connection  we  mention  a 
ceremony  practiced  among  the  Mohammedans  of  India  on 
special  occasions,  called  in  the  Arabic  Subha  and  usually 
performed  on  the  night  succeeding  a  burial.  The  soul  is 
then  supposed  to  remain  in  the  body,  after  which  it  departs 
to  Hades,  there  to  await  its  final  doom.  The  ceremony  is 
thus  described :  "  At  night,  derwishes,  sometimes  as  many 
as  fifty,  assemble,  and  one  brings  a  rosary  of  1000  beads, 
each  as  large  as  a  pigeon's  egg.  Then  beginning  with  the 
67th  chapter  of  the  Koran,  they  say  three  times,  '  God  is  one ; ' 
then  recite  the  last  chapter  but  one  and  the  first,  and  then  say 
three  times,  '  O  God,  favor  the  most  excellent  and  most  happy 
of  thy  creatures,  our  lord  Mohammed,  and  his  family  and 
companions,  and  preserve  them.'  To  this  they  add :  l  All 
who  commemorate  Thee  are  the  mindful,  and  those  who  omit 
commemorating  Thee  are  the  negligent.'  They  next  repeat 
three  thousand  times,  t  There  is  no  god  but  God,'  one  hold- 
ing the  rosary  and  counting  each  repetition.  After  each 
thousand  they  sometimes  rest  and  take  coffee;  then  100  times 
'  (I  extol)  the  perfection  of  God  with  his  praise.'  Then  the 
same  number  of  times :  *  I  beg  forgiveness  of  God  the 
Great ' ;  after  which  fifty  times :  i  The  perfection  of  the 
Lord  the  Eternal ' ;  then  i  The  perfection  of  the  Lord  of 


34     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Might ' ;  etc.  (Koran  XXXVII  last  three  verses).  Then  two 
or  three  recite  two  or  three  more  verses.  This  done  one 
asks  his  companions,  '  Have  ye  transferred  (the  merit  of) 
what  ye  have  recited  to  the  sonl  of  the  deceased  ? '  They 
reply,  '  We  have  '  and  add,  '  Peace  be  on  the  apostles.'  This 
concludes  the  ceremony,  which  in  the  house  of  the  rich,  is 
repeated  the  second  and  third  nights." 

In  Algeria  the  rosary  is  used  by  the  Taleb  in  divining 
whether  the  sick  will  die  or  not.  The  beads  are  counted  off 
in  threes,  if  this  leaves  one  off  number  the  beads  must  be 
recounted  in  twos,  if  ending  evenly  the  patient  will  live,  if 
an  odd  one  remains  it  means  death.  The  rosary  which  is  con- 
sidered a  holy  thing  is  never  used  in  vulgar  magic. 

In  Tunisia  the  fortune-teller  marks  a  place  on  the  rosary 
with  a  thread  and  counts  off  the  beads  while  chanting  certain 
words,  sometimes  the  names  of  the  father  or  mother  of  the 
sick  person.  The  required  information  is  found  by  the  num- 
ber of  beads  remaining  over  after  the  recitation ;  if  three  re- 
main to  the  thread,  it  is  sickness ;  if  two  it  is  health. 

Mr.  G.  B.  A.  Gardener,  of  Cape  Town,  says :  "  The  rosary 
is  sometimes  worn  round  the  neck  as  a  cure  for  sickness. 
Those  most  in  use  are  made  of  sandal-wood,  said  to  come 
from  Mecca.  For  magical  purposes  the  rosary  is  used  by 
counting." 

Miss  G.  Y.  Holliday  of  Tabriz,  Persia,  gives  the  following 
information :  "  The  rosary  is  used  to  decide  what  medicine 
should  be  taken,  what  physician  should  be  called,  whether  his 
advice  should  be  followed  or  not,  etc.  It  is  also  used  about 
all  the  affairs  of  life;  it  is  called  taking  the  istikhara.  In 
using  it,  the  rosary  is  grasped  by  the  first  bead  the  hand 
happens  on;  from  which  they  count  to  the  Khalifa,  or  the 
large  bead  which  is  the  most  prominent  object,  saying  (  bad, 
good,'  the  last  bead  giving  the  decision." 

In  Java  the  rosary  is  used  as  follows  for  healing  the  sick, 


ANIMISM  m  THE  CREED  35 

or  for  inducing  sickness.  With  the  rosary  in  the  hand  one 
reads  any  chapter  from  the  Koran  and  up  to  the  fifteenth 
verse,  this  verse  always  contains  a  word  of  talismanic  power, 
and  while  this  verse  is  being  read  the  rosary  is  counted  and 
the  result  follows. 

In  Egypt  the  rosary  is  widely  used  for  the  cure  of  the 
sick.  In  this  case  it  depends  on  the  material  from  which  the 
beads  are  manufactured.  Those  made  of  ordinarv  wood  or 
of  mother-of-pearl  are  not  valuable,  but  a  rosary  made  of  jet 
(yusr)  or  huh  (a  particular  kind  of  wood  from  Mecca)  is 
valuable.  In  Egypt  both  among  Copts  and  Moslems  the 
rosary  is  used  for  the  cure  of  "  retention  of  urine '  in  chil- 
dren. It  is  put  on  the  infant's  neck  or  is  laid  on  the  roof  in 
the  starlight  to  catch  the  dew,  then  it  is  washed  and  the  water 
given  to  the  child  to  drink. 

"  In  India,"  writes  Mr.  K.  I.  Khan  of  Poona,  "  the  rosary 
is  used  to  protect  against  the  evil  eye  and  other  dangers,  some- 
times it  is  washed  in  water  and  the  water  given  as  medicine  to 
the  sick  to  drink." 

When  we  consider  how  in  all  these  puerile  superstitions  the 
original  use  of  the  rosary  with  its  ninety-nine  beads  for  the 
remembrance  of  the  one  true  God  has  been  lost  or  obscured  we 
are  forcibly  reminded  of  the  words  of  Warneck :  "  Animistic 
heathenism  is  not  a  transition  stage  to  a  higher  religion.  I 
think  I  have  adduced  sufficient  facts  to  establish  that,  and 
facts  do  not  vanish  away  before  hypothesis.  Let  them  pro- 
duce facts  to  prove  that  animistic  heathenism  somewhere  and 
somehow  evolved  upwards  toward  a  purer  knowledge  of  God, 
real  facts,  not  imaginary  construction  of  such  an  evolution. 
Any  form  of  Animism  known  to  me  has  no  lines  leading  to 
perfection,  but  only  incontestable  marks  of  degeneration."  10 

In  its  doctrine  of  the  soul  before  birth,  after  death,  and  in 
the  future  world,  Islam  is  not  free  from  animistic  ideas  which 

10  "The  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism,"  Warneck,  p.  10. 


36     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

differ  little  from  those  of  Pagans  in  Africa.  Al  Ghazali 
says :  "  When  God  Almighty  let  His  hands  pass  over  the 
back  of  Adam  and  gathered  men  into  His  two  hands,  He 
placed  some  of  them  in  His  right  hand  and  the  others  in  His 
left ;  then  he  opened  both  His  hands  before  Adam,  and  Adam 
looked  at  them  and  saw  them  like  imperceptible  atoms.  Then 
God  said :  i  These  are  destined  for  Paradise  and  these  are 
destined  for  hell-fire.'  He  then  asked  them :  '  Am  I  not 
your  Lord  ? '  and  they  replied :  t  Certainly,  we  testify  that 
Thou  art  our  Lord.'  God  then  asked  Adam  and  the  angels 
to  be  witnesses  .  .  .  after  this  God  replaced  them  into  the 
loins  of  Adam.  They  were  at  that  time  purely  spiritual 
beings  without  bodies.  He  then  caused  them  to  die,  but 
gathered  them  and  kept  them  in  a  receptacle  near  His  throne. 
When  the  germ  of  a  new  being  is  placed  in  the  womb  of  the 
mother,  it  remains  there  till  its  body  is  sufficiently  developed ; 
the  soul  in  the  same  is  then  dead,  yet  when  God  Almighty 
breathes  into  it  the  spirit,  He  restores  to  it  its  most  precious 
part,  of  which  it  had  been  deprived  while  preserved  in  the 
receptacle  near  the  throne.  This  is  the  first  death  and  a 
second  life.  Then  God  places  man  in  this  world  till  he  has 
reached  the  term  fixed  for  him." 

In  this  teaching  of  the  greatest  Moslem  theologian  we  have 
the  gist  of  the  teaching  as  found  in  the  Koran  and  Tradition. 

The  Koran  in  many  places  gives  a  minute  description  of  the 
process  of  death  while  the  Commentaries  based  on  savings  of 
Mohammed  leave  no  doubt  of  the  crass  materialisic  ideas  he 
held  and  perpetuated.  (See  e.g.,  Suras  75;  81:  1-19;  82; 
83 :  4-20 ;  84 : 1-19 ;  and  of  a  later  period  22 : 1-7.) 

Death  takes  place  by  means  of  a  poisonous  lance  which  is 
held  by  Izra'il,  the  angel  of  death,  who  pierces  the  soul  and 
detaches  it  from  the  body.  (Cf.  Surah  32:11.)  "As  long 
as  the  soul  slowly  ascends  from  the  heart  through  the  throat, 
it  is  exposed  to  various  temptations  and  doubts,  but  when  it 


ANIMISM  m  THE  CREED  37 

has  been  pierced  by  the  lance  and  thus  separated  from  the 
body,  these  cease.  Izra'il  is  said  to  be  frightful  in  appear- 
ance and  of  enormous  size;  his  head  in  the  highest  heaven, 
his  feet  in  the  lowest  part  of  the  earth,  and  his  face  opposite 
the  preserved  Tablet.  To  a  believer,  however,  he  appears  in 
a  lovely  shape,  and  his  assistants  as  (  Angels  of  Mercy,'  while 
to  the  unbelievers  they  are  tormenting  angels.  The  soul  or 
spirit,  according  to  the  orthodox  school,  is  said  to  be  a  subtle 
body,  intimately  united  with  the  body  of  man,  like  the  juice 
is  united  with  the  green  branch  of  a  tree.  The  Angel  of 
Death  also  takes  the  life  of  jinn,  of  angels  and  even  of  ani- 
mals." « 

The  teaching  that  the  Angel  of  Death  takes  care  of  the 
souls  of  animals  as  well  as  of  men's  souls  is  clearly  animistic. 

Immediately  after  burial  two  large  black  Angels  visit  the 
dead  in  their  graves.  They  are  called  Munkar  and  RTakir. 
The  spirit  of  the  believer,  according  to  some  authorities,  is 
taken  through  the  seven  Heavens  ino  the  very  presence  of 
God  and  then  returns  to  the  grave  to  reenter  the  body  and  be 
examined.  This  seems  to  be  the  teaching  of  Ghazali  (Durrat 
al  Fakhira).  The  same  authority  classifies  the  inhabitants 
of  the  grave  as  follows,  and  says  they  are  of  four  kinds: 
"  (1)  Those  who  sleep  on  their  backs  till  their  corpses  be- 
come dust,  when  they  constantly  rove  about  between  earth  and 
the  lowest  heaven;  (2)  those  on  whom  God  causes  sleep  to 
descend  and  who  only  wake  up  at  the  first  blast  of  the 
trumpet;  (3)  those  who  remain  in  their  graves  only  two  or 
three  months,  then  are  carried  away  into  Paradise;  they 
perch  on  the  trees  of  Paradise  in  the  shape  of  birds.  The 
spirits  of  martyrs  are  in  the  crops  of  birds.  (4)  Prophets 
and  saints  who  may  choose  their  own  habitation." 

Another  animistic  idea  in  the  teaching  of  Mohammed  is 
that  although  the  whole  of  the  human  body  perishes  in  the 

ii  Klein,  "  The  Religion  of  Islam/'  p.  81. 


38     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

grave,  one  bone,  namely  the  os  sacrum,  remains  uncorrupted 
until  the  resurrection  morning.  It  is  from  this  bone  or  seed 
that  the  whole  body  is  renewed  by  means  of  a  miraculous  rain- 
storm called  "  the  water  of  life."  12 

The  spirit  after  death  enters  the  state  (or  interval), 
whether  of  time  or  place  seems  uncertain  —  called  Al 
Barzakh. 

Many  curious  traditions  are  current  regarding  the  souls  of 
the  martyrs  and  their  residence  in  the  crops  of  green  birds. 
One  commentator  says  the  birds  are  transparent,  i.e.  ethereal. 
Others  say  that  it  signifies  figuratively  the  speed  with  which 
the  souls  of  martyrs  can  travel  about. 

An  important  point  and  which  is  universally  believed  re- 
lates to  the  spirits  of  ordinary  mortals.  These  remain  near 
their  graves.  This  accounts  for  the  universal  custom  in  Islam 
of  visiting  the  graves  of  their  dead  on  Thursday  night.  In 
India  we  are  told,  "  It  is  a  general  belief  among  the  com- 
munity of  Mussulmans  that  when  a  Moslem  gives  up  the 
ghost  his  soul  haunts  and  lurks  about  the  place  where  he 
breathed  his  last  for  full  forty  days  from  the  date  of  his 
demise:  that  it  (the  soul)  comes  to  visit  the  quarter  it  left, 
with  the  idea  and  conviction  that  its  surviving  relations  and 
acquaintances  may  show  pity  to  it  by  offering  prayers  and 
charity  for  its  good  and  salvation  in  the  migrated  region  of 
the  heaven  above;  that  in  case  it  finds  its  survivors  doing 
good  for  its  well-being,  rest,  happiness,  and  welfare  in  its 
changed  career,  it  devoutly  and  heartily  prays  in  return  for 
their  safety,  pleasure  and  comfort  on  earth ;  and  that  in  the 
reverse  case,  when  it  perceives  its  people  doing  naught  for  it 
or  entrapped  in  vices  opposed  to  the  dictates  of  Islamic  faith, 
it  curses  them  and  invokes  on  them  heavenly  displeasure  for 

i2  It  is  impossible  to  give  the  indecent  Moslem  interpretations  of  this 
term.     Cf.  any  popular  Arabic  work  on  Escliatology. 


ANIMISM  IN  THE  CREED  39 

their  negligence  and  foolish  reckless  pursuits  devoid  of  all 
religious  principles."  13 

The  special  sanctity  of  the  "  night  of  the  middle  of 
Sha'ban,"  called  in  Arabic  Lailat  Nusf  Sha'han,  is  believed  in 
by  all  Mohammedans.  It  is  supposed  that  on  that  particular 
night  Allah  determines  the  fate  of  mortals  during  the  forth- 
coming year.  The  most  popular  idea  is  that  there  is  a 
celestial  tree  of  symbolic  import,  on  which  every  human  being 
has  a  leaf  to  represent  him.  This  tree  is  shaken  during  the 
night  preceding  the  15th  of  Sha'ban,  causing  the  leaves  of  all 
those  who  are  to  die  during  the  coming  year  to  fall. 

In  Arabia  many  watch  through  a  part  or  the  whole  of  this 
night  and  offer  up  a  prayer,  invoking  Allah's  mercy,  and 
beseeching  him  to  blot  out  from  his  eternal  book  the  calamities 
and  adversity  destined  for  the  suppliant. 

"  Throughout  the  whole  of  the  Indian  Archipelago,"  says 
Hurgronje,  "  this  month,  Sha'ban,  is  especially  dedicated  to 
the  commemoration  of  the  dead.  This  does  not  imply  grief 
for  their  loss,  but  rather  care  for  their  souls'  repose,  which 
is  not  inconsistent  with  merrymaking.  This  solicitude  for 
the  welfare  of  the  departed  exhibits  itself  by  the  giving  of 
religious  feasts.  According  to  the  religious  or  learned  con- 
ception this  is  done  in  order  to  bestow  on  the  deceased  the 
recompense  earned  by  this  good  work;  according  to  the 
popular  notion  it  is  to  let  them  enjoy  the  actual  savor  of  the 
good  things  of  the  feast." 

Not  only  in  visiting  the  graves  of  the  dead,  but  in  the 
very  method  of  burial  Moslems  are  animists  in  practice 
whatever  they  may  be  in  creed.  "  It  is  fear,"  says  Warneck, 
speaking  of  the  Animists  in  Malaysia,  "  that  leads  them  to 
place  food  on  the  dead  man's  grave;  to  bring  him  his  tools 

is  "Moslem  Festivities,"  by  Mohammed  Ameer  Ali  —  Calcutta,  1892, 
p.  42. 


40     THE  INFLUENCE  OE  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

and  coin,  that  his  shadow  may  use  them  in  the  other  world 
and  be  content.  The  inhabitants  of  many  islands  sacrifice 
some  one,  preferably  a  slave,  at  the  grave  in  order  that  they 
themselves  may  be  spared.  The  impelling  motive  is  always 
fear,  not  grief  nor  pity.  To  prevent  the  soul  of  the  dead 
from  returning  to  the  living,  thorns  are  laid  upon  the  corpse, 
which  is  firmly  bound,  its  thumbs  and  toes  tied  together, 
ashes  put  in  its  eyes,  an  egg  placed  in  its  armpits,  all  with  the 
view  of  making  it  incapable  of  movement."  14 

According  to  a  Moslem  tradition  also,  it  is  the  universal 
practice  to  tie  the  toes  of  the  dead  together  before  burial  but 
then  to  loosen  them  when  the  body  has  been  lowered  into  the 
grave.  The  construction  of  the  grave  itself  with  its  char- 
acteristic lahdi  in  all  Moslem  lands,  can  only  be  explained  by 
beliefs  which  are  animistic.  Coffins  are  never  used  for  bur- 
ial, but  a  niche,  lahdi,  is  made  on  one  side  of  the  open  grave. 

The  contents  of  any  book  on  the  subject  of  Eschatology 
are  an  index  to  this  world  of  Moslem-animistic  thought. 
The  terrors  of  the  grave  are  real  in  popular  Islam,  and  such 
books  have  a  larger  sale  than  any  other  religious  literature. 

Here  follows  for  example  the  table  of  contents  of  El 
Hamzawi's  "  Masharik-ul- Anwar  "  on  this  subject.  In  every 
chapter  there  are  points  of  contact  with  animism  and  signs  of 
old  pagan  belief  and  practices  perpetuated : 

I.  What  Happens  to  the  Dead  Befoee  Burial. 

1.  What  he  should  do  while  he  is  still  here. 

2.  What  he  should  do  when  death  approaches. 

3.  How  the  spirit  leaves  the  body. 

4.  The  benefit  of  speedy  burial. 

II.  What  Happens  in  the  Grave. 

1.  How  the  questions  are  asked  by  the  two  angels, 
i*  "  The  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism/'  p.  59. 


ANIMISM  IN  THE  CEEED  41 

2.  How  he  must  answer. 

3.  On  the  joy  and  pain  that  results. 

4.  Where  the  spirits  go. 

5.  Warning  to  the  living. 

III.  On  Visiting  the  Grave. 

1.  Its  desirability. 

2.  The  right  times. 

3.  What  to  do. 

4.  Are  the  dead  conscious  ? 

5.  Traditions  of  the  Prophet. 

6.  Who   of   the   Prophet's   family   were   buried   in 

Egypt. 

IV.  Signs  of  the  Hour  and  the  End  of  the  Age. 

1.  Minor  signs  of  the  hour. 

2.  The  appearance  of  the  Mahdi. 

3.  The  appearance  of  anti-Christ. 

4.  The  return  of  Jesus. 

5.  The  Beast  —  Gog  and  Magog. 

6.  The  first  blast  of  the  trumpet. 

V.  The  Resurrection. 

1.  The  number  of  trumpet  blasts. 

2.  The  one  who  blows. 

3.  How  they  arise  from  the  graves. 

4.  In  what  form  do  they  come  ? 

5.  Do  they  arise  naked  or  dressed  ? 

6.  The  books. 

7.  The  intents  of  the  heart. 

VI.  The  Place  of  Judgment. 

1.  Where  the  judgment  takes  place. 

2.  The  conditions  of  those  who  appear. 

3.  The  day  of  accounts. 


42     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

4.  The  robes  and  the  throne. 

5.  The  sir  at  and  the  scales. 

6.  The  intercession. 

7.  The  scales  of  justice. 

8.  The  pond. 

VII.  On  the  Things  That  Concern  Heaven  and  Hell 

and  the  Vengeance  op  God. 

In  this  survey  of  the  present  use  of  the  creed  and  the  clear 
teaching  based  on  some  of  its  six  articles,  the  conclusion  is  ir- 
resistible that  the  monotheism  of  Islam  has  degenerated  in 
popular  belief  to  a  much  larger  degree  than  is  generally  ap- 
preciated. It  is  idle  to  talk  of  pure  monotheism  when  dealing 
with  popular  Islam. 


CHAPTEK  III 

ANIMISTIC    ELEMENTS    IN    MOSLEM    PRAYER 

One  of  the  most  impressive  rites  of  Islam  is  the  daily 
prayer  ritual.  It  has  elicited  the  admiration  of  many  who 
have  observed  it,  and,  ignorant  of  the  real  character  and  con- 
tent of  Moslem  prayer  interpreted  it  entirely  from  the  Chris- 
tian standpoint.  What  is  understood  by  prayer,  however,  in 
Christendom,  and  what  the  Moslem  calls  by  the  same  name 
are  to  a  degree  distinct  conceptions.  In  the  punctilious  re- 
gard of  position,  prostration,  ablution  and  the  peculiar  ges- 
tures and  movements  of  the  hand,  the  head  and  the  body  it  is 
clear  that  prayer  is  more  than  a  spiritual  exercise.  Moslems 
themselves  are  at  a  loss  to  explain  the  reason  for  many  of  the 
details  which  they  have  learned  from  their  youth.  The 
various  sects  in  orthodox  Islam  can  be  distinguished  by  the 
casual  observer  most  easily  in  the  method  of  ablution  and 
in  the  prostration  of  the  prayer  ritual. 

Theodore  Noldeke  of  Germany,  and  the  Dutch  scholar 
Prof.  A.  J.  Wensinck  have  made  a  special  study  of  the  origin 
and  detail  of  the  prayer  ritual,  the  latter  more  especially  of 
the  Moslem  laws  of  ablution.1  2  Further  study  of  the  sources 
given  and  long  experience  in  many  Moslem  lands  have  led  to 
the  following  observations  and  conclusions  on  the  subject. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  five  daily  prayers,  especially  in 
the  process  of  ablution  —  the  object  of  the  Moslem  seems  to 
be  to  free  himself  from  everything  that  has  connection  with 

i  2  Der  Islam,  Band  IV,  Animisme  und  Daemonenglaube. 
Der    Islam,    Band    V,    Heft    I,    "  Die    Entstehung    der    muslimischen 
Reinheitsgesetzebung,"  von  A.  J.  Wensinck. 

43 


44     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 


^fL^^j^^H^^<MH^»»^ 


»#»*****  ******  *■■**■*#*  SaMKHHfr** 
JB       «       Jt       * 

The  "  Paiza "  or  Restaurant  board  from  China. 
This  hangs  over  every  place  where  pure  (Moslem) 
food  is  sold.  The  Arabic  inscriptions  contain  the 
text  of  the  Koran  regarding  purity  of  food,  the 
name  of  the  shop-keeper  and  date,  while  in  the 
center  surrounding  the  ablution-vessel  are  words 
which  signify  the  absolute  ritual  purity  of  all  that 
is  sold. 

It  is  significant  that  the  Turkish  flag  appears 
with  the  Chinese  flag  at  the  top. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PRAYER        45 

supernatural  powers  or  demons  as  opposed  to  the  worship  of 
the  one  true  God.  That  is  the  reason  for  its  supreme  im- 
portance. Wensinck  tells  us  that  these  beliefs  have  little  or 
nothing  to  do  with  bodily  purity  as  such,  but  are  intended  to 
free  the  worshiper  from  the  presence  or  influence  of  evil 
spirits.  It  is  this  demonic  pollution  which  must  be  re- 
moved. In  two  traditions  from  Muslim  we  read,  "  Said  the 
Prophet :  i  If  any  of  you  wakens  up  from  sleep  then  let  him 
blow  his  nose  three  times.  For  the  devil  spends  the  night  in 
a  man's  nostrils.'  And  again :  "  Said  Omar  ibn  el- 
Khitab  (may  God  have  mercy  on  him) :  i  A  certain  man 
performed  ablution  but  left  a  dry  spot  on  his  foot.'  When 
the  Prophet  of  God  saw  it  he  said :  i  Go  back  and  wash 
better,'  then  he  returned  and  came  back  to  prayer.  Said  the 
Prophet  of  God :  i  If  a  Moslem  servant  of  God  performs  the 
ablution  when  he  washes  his  face  every  sin  which  his  face  has 
committed  is  taken  away  by  it  with  the  water  or  with  the 
last  drop  of  water.  And  when  he  washes  his  hands  the  sin 
of  his  hands  are  taken  away  with  the  water  or  with  the  last 
drop  of  water.  And  when  he  washes  his  feet  all  the  sins 
which  his  feet  have  committed  are  taken  away  with  the  water 
or  with  the  last  drop  of  water  until  he  becomes  pure  from 
sin  altogether.'  Goldziher  has  shown  in  one  of  his  essays 
that,  according  to  Semitic  conception,  water  drives  away 
demons. 

That  ablution  in  Islam  as  taught  by  Mohammed  to  his 
disciples  was  originally  not  intended  to  remove  physical  un- 
cleanness  but  was  a  ceremonial  precaution  against  spiritual 
evil,  of  demons,  etc.,  is  evident  when  we  compare  it  with  the 
ablutions  practiced  by  pagan  races  in  their  ritual.  For 
example,  Skeat  describes  the  bath  ceremony  as  practiced  at 
Perak : 

"  Limes  are  used  in  Perak,  as  we  use  soap.  When  a  Malay 
has  resolved  on  having  a  really  good  (  scrub '  they  are  cut  in 


46     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

two  and  squeezed  (ramas)  in  the  hand.  In  Penang  a  root 
called  sintoh  is  usually  preferred  to  limes.  When  the  body  is 
deemed  sufficiently  cleansed,  the  performer,  taking  his  stand 
facing  the  East,  spits  seven  times,  and  then  counts  up  to  seven 
aloud.  After  the  word  Tujoh  (seven)  he  throws  away  the 
remains  of  the  limes  or  sintoh  to  the  West,  saying  aloud, 
Pergi-lah  samua  sial  jambalang  deripada  badan  ahu  ha  pusat 
taseh  Pawjangi,  l  Misfortune  and  spirits  of  evil,  begone  from 
my  body  to  the  whirlpool  of  the  lake  Paujangi !  '  Then  he 
throws  (jurus)  sl  few  buckets  of  water  over  himself,  and  the 
operation  is  complete." 

"  The  ceremony  just  described  is  evidently  a  form  of  puri- 
fication by  water.  Similar  purificatory  ceremonies  form  an 
integral  part  of  Malay  customs  at  birth,  adolescence,  mar- 
riage, sichness,  death,  and  in  fact  at  every  critical  period  of 
the  life  of  a  Malay."  3 

According  to  al-Bokhari  the  washings  before  prayer  should 
always  begin  on  the  right  side  of  the  body  and  not  on  the 
left.  Another  tradition  gives  the  value  of  the  hairs  of  the 
Prophet  when  they  fell  in  the  washing-vessel.  The  Prophet 
used  to  wash  his  feet  when  he  wore  sandals  by  simply  passing 
his  hands  over  the  outside  of  the  sandals;  the  object,  there- 
fore, cannot  have  been  to  cleanse  impurity  but  to  ward  off 
demons.  Another  tradition  is  given  as  follows :  According 
to  ?Abd-el-Rahman,  a  man  came  to  Omar  ibn  el-Khattab  and 
said,  "  I  am  in  a  state  of  impurity  and  cannot  find  water." 
Ammar  ibn  Yasir  said  to  Omar  ibn  el-Khattab,  "  Do  you 
remember  the  day  that  you  and  I  traveled  together.  You 
did  not  make  your  prayers,  but  I  rolled  myself  in  the  sand 
and  prayed.  When  I  told  the  Prophet  of  this,  he  said, 
1  That  was  enough/  and  so  saying  he  took  some  earth  in  his 
hands,  blew  on  it  and  then  rubbed  his  face  and  hands  with 
it."  4  5     ?Abd-el-Rahman  was  witness  when  "  Amar  said  to 

3Skeat's  "Malay  Magic,"  p.  278. 

4  6"  Les  Traditions  de  Bokhari,"  by  O.  Houdas,  p.   126. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PEAYEE        47 

Omar/'  "  We  were  in  a  detachment  and  we  were  in  a  state  of 
impurity,  etc.  .  .  ."  and  lie  uses  the  words :  "  he  spat  on  his 
hands  "  instead  of  "  he  breathed." 

These  two  traditions  from  Bokhari  also  show  the  value 
ascribed  to  the  animistic  custom  of  blowing  and  spitting. 

There  are  a  number  of  traditions  regarding  spitting  in  a 
mosque.  It  must  in  no  case  be  done  in  front  of  any  one,  nor 
to  the  right  hand  but  to  the  left.6  According  to  Annas  Ibn 
Malek,  to  spit  in  a  mosque  is  a  sin:  one  may  expiate  it  by 
wiping  up  the  spittle.  Again,  in  entering  a  mosque  one 
must  put  the  right  foot  forward  first  for  fear  of  evil  conse- 
quences. In  the  same  way  we  are  told  that  a  man  who  was 
carrying  arrows  in  his  hand  entered  a  mosque,  and  the 
Prophet  cried :  "  Hold  them  by  the  point."  The  only 
reason  for  this  command,  as  is  shown  by  its  connection,  is 
that  the  points  of  the  arrows  or  other  sharp  instruments 
might  arouse  jinn  or  damage  the  value  of  prayer.  We  also 
find  traditions  concerning  such  Animistic  practices  as  cross- 
ing the  fingers  or  the  limbs  at  the  time  of  prayer. 

In  regard  to  the  ritual  ablution,  (ghasl)}  after  certain 
natural  functions,  Wensinck  remarks,  "  Das  Geschlechtsle- 
ben  stand  in  semitischen  Heidentum  unter  den  Schutze 
gewisser  Gotter  and  war  ihnen  somit  geweiht.  Die  mann- 
Kchen  und  weiblichen  Prostituierten  bei  den  Palastinichen 
und  babylonichen  Heiligtumern  sind  ja  bekaunt  genug.  Ich 
brauche  dariiber  kein  wort  ze  verlieren.  Weil  nun  der 
betreffende  Gott  fur  den  Monotheismus  Damon  geworden  ist, 
so  ist  auch  sein  Kult,  das  Geschlechtsleben,  den  Monotheismus 
damonisch."  There  are  many  traditions  which  assert  a 
close  relationship  between  sleep  and  the  presence  of  Jinn.     It 

e  Bokhari:  Chap.  33.  Cf.  Muslim,  Vol.  I,  207  —  Arabic  edition.  "  No 
one  must  enter  or  approach  a  mosque  if  he  has  eaten  onion,  or  garlic, 
because  the  angels  hate  the  smell  as  much  as  human  beings  do."  Mus- 
lim: Vol.  I:  210. 


48     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

is  during  sleep  that  the  soul,  according  to  animistic  belief, 
leaves  the  body.  Therefore,  one  must  waken  those  who 
sleep,  gently,  lest  the  soul  be  prevented  from  returning. 
Not  only  during  sleep,  but  during  illness  demons  are  present ; 
and  in  Egypt  it  is  considered  unfortunate  for  any  one  who  is 
ceremonially  unclean  to  approach  a  patient  suffering  from 
ophthalmia. 

The  Moslem  when  he  prays  is  required,  according  to  tradi- 
tion, to  cover  his  head,  especially  the  back  part  of  the  skull. 
This  according  to  Wensinck  is  also  due  to  animistic  belief; 
for  evil  spirits  enter  the  body  by  this  way.  Goldziher  has 
shown  that  the  name  given  to  this  part  of  the  body  (al  qafa) 
has  a  close  relation  to  the  kind  of  poetry  called  Qafiya,  which 
originally  meant  a  poem  to  wound  the  skull,  or  in  other  words, 
an  imprecatory  poem.  It  is  therefore  for  the  dread  of  evil 
powers  which  might  enter  the  mind  that  the  head  must  be 
covered  during  prayer.  References  are  found  to  this  prac- 
tice both  in  Moslem  tradition  and  in  the  Talmud,  on  which 
they  are  based.  Again  it  is  noteworthy  that  those  places 
which  are  ritually  unclean,  such  as  closets,  baths,  etc.,  are 
considered  the  habitation  of  demons. 

According  to  tradition  a  Moslem  cannot  perform  his  prayer 
without  a  Sutra  or  some  object  placed  between  himself  and 
the  Kibla  (the  direction  of  Mecca)  in  order,  "  that  nothing 
may  harm  him  by  passing  in  between."  Of  this  custom  we 
speak  later.  The  call  of  the  Muezzin  according  to  Al-Bokhari 
drives  away  the  demons  and  Satan.7  No  one  dares  to  recite 
the  Koran,  which  is  a  holy  book,  without  first  repeating  the 
words,  "  I  take  refuge  in  God  against  Satan  the  accursed." 
We  may  add  to  all  this  what  Mittwoch  has  shown  in  his 
book  "  Zur  Entstehungsgeschichte  des  islamischen  Gebets  und 
Kultus,"  that  the  Takbir  itself  (that  is  the  cry  Allahu  Akbar, 
God  is  greater),  one  of  the  elements  of  daily  prayer,  is  a  cry 

7  Bokhari :  Kitab  al  Adhan :   Section  IV. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYER         49 

against  demons.  The  raising  of  the  hands  during  prayer  and 
the  movement  of  the  forefinger  is  perhaps  to  ward  of!  the 
spirits  of  the  air,8  or  it  may  have  a  connection  with  the 
Qanut.  Others  say  that  the  spreading  out  or  the  stretching 
forth  of  the  fingers  and  arms  is  to  prevent  any  idol  or  thing  of 
blasphemy  being  hidden  between  the  fingers  or  under  the 
armpits,  a  ruse  used  formerly  by  the  unbelievers  and  dis- 
covered by  the  Angel  Gabriel. 

Among  the  Arabs  before  the  time  of  Mohammed  and  among 
Moslems  to-day,  sneezing,  especially  during  prayer,  is  an 
ominous  sign  and  should  be  accompanied  by  a  pious  ejacula- 
tion. This  also  is  clearly  animistic;  among  the  tribes  of 
Malaysia  the  general  belief  is  that  when  one  sneezes,  the  soul 
leaves  the  body.  At  the  close  of  the  prayer,  as  is  well-known, 
the  worshiper  salutes  the  two  angels  on  his  right  and  left 
shoulders.  When  one  sneezes  one  should  say,  "  I  ask  for- 
giveness of  God  " ;  when  one  yawns,  however,  the  breath 
(soul)  passes  inward  and  one  says,  "  Praise  be  to  God." 

Not  only  the  preparations  for  prayer  and  prayer  itself  but 
the  times 9  of  prayer  have  a  distinct  connection  with  the 
animistic  belief.  The  noon-day  prayer  is  never  held  at  high 
noon  but  a  short  time  after  the  sun  reaches  the  meridian. 
Wensinck  points  out  that  this  is  due  to  the  belief  that  the 
sun-god  is  really  a  demon  and  must  not  be  worshiped  by  the 

s  I  am  told  by  my  sheikh  from  Al-Azhar  that  according  to  Moslem 
tradition  it  is  bad  luck  (Makruh)  to  drink  water  or  any  liquid  while 
one  is  standing.  If,  however,  one  is  compelled  to  drink  standing  one 
should  move  his  big  toe  rapidly  as  this  will  ward  off  all  harm.  We 
find  here  the  same  superstitious  custom  of  warding  off  evil  spirits  by 
moving  the  first  toe  up  and  down  as  that  of  the  finger  at  the  end  of 
the  ritual  prayer. 

9  Prayer  is  forbidden  at  three  particular  periods :  at  high  noon  be- 
cause the  devil  is  then  in  the  ascendant;  when  the  sun  is  rising  be- 
cause it  rises  between  the  horns  of  the  devil,  when  the  sun  is  at  the  set- 
ting because  it  sets  between  the  horns  of  the  devil.  ."  Ibn  Maja  " :  Vol. 
I,  p.  195. 


50     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

monotheist.  According  to  al-Bokhari  the  Prophet  postponed 
the  noon-day  prayer  until  after  high  noon  for  "  the  greatest 
heat  of  the  day  belongs  to  the  heat  of  hell."  Nor  is  it  per- 
mitted to  pray  shortly  after  snnrise  for  "  the  sun  rises  between 
the  horns  of  the  devil."  According  to  Abu  Huraira  and 
Abdallah  ibn  'Omar,  the  prophet  of  God  said :  "  When  it  is 
excessively  hot  wait  until  it  is  cool  to  make  your  prayers,  for 
intense  heat  comes  from  hell." 

Abu-Dzarr  said :  The  Muezzin  of  the  Prophet  had  called 
for  the  noon-prayer.  "  Wait  until  it  is  cooler,  wait  until  it 
is  cooler,  or  wait  .  .  ."  said  the  Prophet.  Then  he  added: 
"  Great  heat  is  of  hell :  so  when  it  is  excessively  hot  wait 
until  it  is  cool,  then  make  your  prayers."  Abou-Dzarr  10 
adds :     "  And  we  waited  until  we  saw  the  shadow  declining." 

That  certain  hours  of  the  day  are  unlucky  and  must  be 
guarded  against  is  a  pagan  belief  probably  based  on  their  fear 
of  darkness.  Maxwell,  quoted  by  Skeat  (page  15),  says: 
"  Sunset  is  the  hour  when  evil  spirits  of  all  kinds  have  most 
power.  In  Perak,  children  are  often  called  indoors  at  this 
time  to  save  from  unseen  dangers.  Sometimes,  with  the 
same  object,  a  woman  belonging  to  the  house  where  there 
are  young  children,  will  chew  huniet  terus  (an  evil-smelling 
root),  supposed  to  be  much  disliked  by  demons  of  all  kinds, 
and  spit  it  out  at  seven  different  points  as  she  walks  round 
the  house. 

"  The  yellow  glow  which  spreads  over  the  western  sky, 
when  it  is  lighted  up  with  the  last  rays  of  the  dying  sun,  is 
called  mambang  Joining  ( ■  the  yellow  deity  '),  a  term  indica- 
tive of  the  superstitious  dread  associated  with  this  particular 
period."  11 

In  this  connection  it  is  curious  to  note  that  the  unlucky 
times  among  the  Malay  people  correspond  exactly  with  the 

10  "  Al-Bokhari,"  translated  by  Houdas   (Paris,  1903),  p.  190. 
ii  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic,"  p.  15. 


INTERIOR  COURT  OF  THE  MOSQUE  OF  AL  'AZHAR,  CAIRO 

In  the  upper  left-hand  corner  of  this  university  mosque  where  6,000  stu- 
dents   receive    instruction,    one   may 
indicates  the  hours  of  prayer. 


see   the   old   Moslem   sun    dial    which 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYEK         51 

periods  appointed  for  Moslem  prayer.  Among  the  Malays 
each  of  these  periods  has  a  special  meaning  and  a  special 
guardian  deity,  one  of  the  Hindu  divinities.  The  table  given 
corresponds  very  closely  to  the  Moslem  prayer  schedule. 
"  Perhaps  the  oldest  and  best  known  of  the  systems  of  lucky 
and  unlucky  times  is  the  one  called  Katiha  Lima,  or  the  Eive 
Times.  Under  it  the  day  is  divided  into  five  parts  and  five 
days  form  a  cycle:  to  each  of  these  divisions  is  assigned  a 
name,  the  names  being  Maswara  (Maheswara),  Kala,  S'ri, 
Brahma,  and  Bisnu  (Vishnu),  which  recur  in  the  order 
shown  in  the  following  table  or  diagram :  12 

Morning      Forenoon  Noon  Afternoon  Evening 

(pagi)    (tengah  naik)    (tengah  hari)   (tengah  turun)        (petang) 

1st  day  Maswara  Kala  S'ri  Brahma  Bisnu 

2nd  day  Bisnu  Maswara  Kala  S'ri  Brahma 

3rd  day  Brahma  Bisnu  Maswara  Kala  S'ri 

4th  day  S'ri  Brahma  Bisnu  Maswara  Kala 

5th  day  Kala  S'ri  Brahma  Bisnu  Maswara 

The  most  interesting  thing  of  all,  however,  is  the  tradition 
regarding  the  Sutra.  The  word  means  something  that  covers 
or  protects ;  from  what  is  it  a  protection  and  why  is  it  used  ? 
The  Commentaries  do  not  explain  what  the  Sutra  really 
means  but  it  is  very  clearly  a  protection  against  demons,  as 
is  shown  by  the  traditions  given.13 

According  to  Ibn  Omar,  on  the  feast  day  (when  the  fast 
was  broken)  the  Messenger  of  God  gave  him  an  order  when  he 
went  out  to  bring  him  a  stick  and  to  stick  it  before  him  and 
it  was  before  this  stick  that  he  made  his  prayers,  while  the 
faithful  were  ranged  behind  him.  He  did  the  same  thing 
when  he  traveled  and  it  is  from  this  that  the  emirs  took  the 
custom.  Other  authorities  say  the  Sutra  of  the  Prophet  was 
the  short  spear  or  the  camel-saddle,  or  his  camel  when 
kneeling.14 

12  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic,"  p.  545. 

is  See  "Muslim,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  190,  193,  194,  and  Zarkani:  "Com.  on 
al-Muwatta,"  Vol.  I,  p.  283. 

i*  "  Ibn  Maja,"  Vol.  I,  p.  156,  lines  10-12. 


52     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

A  curious  tradition  is  given  by  Abu  Dawud  on  the  au- 
thority of  Ibn  Abbas  who  said,  "  I  think  the  Apostle  of  God 
said,  '  If  one  of  you  prays  without  a  sutra  (a  thing  set  up  by  a 
praying  person)  before  him,  his  prayer  is  apt  to  be  annulled 
by  a  dog,  or  an  ass,  or  a  pig,  or  a  Jew,  or  a  Magi,  or  a 
menstruating  woman;  if  they  pass  before  him  they  ought 
to  be  punished  on  that  account,  with  the  pelting  of 
stones.'  "  15 

Abu- Johaif a  said :  "  The  Prophet  went  out  during  the 
heat  of  the  day  and  when  he  came  to  El-Batha  and  prayed 
two  rakas  for  the  noon-prayer  and  the  evening  prayer,  he 
stuck  a  pike  before  him  and  made  his  ablutions.  The  faith- 
ful washed  themselves  with  the  rest  of  the  water."  16 

The  following  tradition  is  most  important  as  it  shows  what 
the  Sutra  originally  meant.  The  reference  to  the  demon  is 
animistic :  "  Abu  Salih  es-Sam'an  said  :  '  I  saw  something 
that  separated  him  from  the  crowd.  A  young  man  of  the 
Bni  Abu  Mo'ait  trying  to  pass  before  him,  Abu  Said  gave  him 
a  push  full  on  the  chest.  The  young  man  looked  round  for 
another  way  out  and  not  finding  any,  he  returned.  Abu  Said 
pushed  him  back  still  more  violently.  The  young  man  cursed 
him  and  then  went  and  told  Merwan  of  Abu  Said's  conduct. 
The  latter  at  this  moment  entered  and  Merwan  said  to  him: 
"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  O  Abu  Said,  that  you  thus 
treat  one  of  your  own  religion  ?  "  "I  have  heard  the  Prophet 
pronounce  these  words,"  answered  Abu  Said,  "  when  one  of 
you  prays,  let  him  place  something  before  him  which  will 
separate  him  from  the  public,  and  if  any  one  tries  to  pass 
between  turn  him  away  and  if  he  refuse  to  leave  let  him  use 
force,  for  it  is  a  demon."  '  "  17     Muslim  adds : 18    "  If  any  of 

is  Ad-Damiri's  "  Hayat  Al-Hayawan,"  Vol.  I,  p.  708. 

16  "  Les  Traductions  de  Bokhari,"  Houdas,  p.  179. 

17  "  Les  Traductions  Bokhari,"  Houdas,  p.  181. 
is  "  Muslim,"  Vol.  I,  p.  193. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYEE         53 

you  pray  do  not  allow  any  one  to  pass  between  himself  and 
the  Sutra  for  it  protects  from  the  demons." 

The  Sutra  or  guard  placed  before  the  one  in  prayer  is 
usually  some  object  such  as  a  stone  or  a  stick  placed  at  a 
certain  distance  from  the  one  praying:  i.e.  about  one  foot 
beyond  where  his  head  would  touch  the  ground.  It  is  also  a 
sign  that  none  must  pass  before  him,  but  never  used  except 
by  men  of  mature  years  and  serious  mind,  and  then  only  in 
open  or  public  places,  never  in  a  room  or  house-top.  If  stones 
are  used  they  must  never  be  less  than  three,  otherwise  it 
would  seem  as  if  the  stone  were  the  object  of  worship. 

There  are  cases  in  which  passing  before  one  at  prayer  is 
counted  as  sin  either  to  the  pray-er  or  to  the  one  passing,  i.e. : 

(a)  If  he  who  prays  is  obliged  to  pray  in  the  public  way, 
and  there  is  no  other  way  of  passing  except  before  him,  there 
is  sin  neither  to  the  pray-er  or  to  the  passer-by. 

(b)  If  he  who  prays  chooses  a  public  place  in  preference 
to  one  less  exposed  and  one  passes  in  front  of  him,  who  could 
as  easily  have  gone  behind,  sin  is  accounted  to  both  of  them. 

(c)  If  he  who  prays  chooses  a  public  place  in  preference  to 
one  less  exposed  and  the  one  who  passes  has  no  choice  but  to 
go  in  front  of  him  sin  is  accounted  to  him  who  prays. 

(d)  If  he  who  prays  chooses  an  unexposed  place  and  some 
one  deliberately  passes  in  front  when  there  is  space  behind, 
sin  is  accounted  to  the  passer-by  and  not  to  him  who  prays. 

"  The  practices  among  the  Shiah  Moslems  differ  in  some 
respects  from  those  of  the  Sunnis,"  says  Miss  Holliday  of 
Tabriz,  Persia.  "  A  Shiah  about  to  pray  takes  his  place 
looking  toward  the  Kibla  at  Mecca ;  if  he  be  a  strict  Moslem 
he  lays  before  him  nearest  the  Kibla  and  where  he  can  put 
his  forehead  upon  it,  the  MuJir  which  is  indispensable.  It 
generally  consists  of  earth  from  Kerbela,  compressed  into  a 
small  tablet  and  bearing  Arabic  inscriptions ;  it  is  various  in 
shape.     If  one  has  not  this  object,  he  can  use  a  common 


54     THE  INFLUENCE  OE  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

stone,  a  piece  of  wood  or  a  clod  of  earth;  in  the  baths  they 
keep  small  pieces  of  wood  for  the  convenience  of  worshipers. 
With  regard  to  wood,  they  say  all  the  trees  in  the  world 
came  from  heaven,  and  their  life  is  directly  from  God,  so 
they  are  holy  objects.  The  Kerbela  talismans  are  called 
'  turbat '  as  being  made  from  holy  earth  from  the  tomb  city 
of  the  Imam  Hussain.  On  the  side  nearest  him  of  the  muhr 
the  worshiper  lays  a  small  pocket  comb,  then  next  to  himself 
the  rosary. 

"  After  prayer,  they  point  the  right  forefinger  first  in  the 
direction  of  the  Kibla,  saluting  Mohammed  as  the  Son  of 
Abdullah  and  the  Imam  Hussain  '  grandson  of  the  Prophet, 
son  of  Fatima,'  then  to  the  east  saluting  Imam  Riza  as  the 
Gareeb,  or  stranger,  at  Meshhed  in  Khorassan,  then  to  the 
west,  saluting  the  Imam  Mahdi,  as  the  Sahib-i-zaman  or  Lord 
of  the  Age.  The  back  is  to  the  north;  this  looks  like  sun- 
worship." 

Among  the  customs  which  are  forbidden  during  prayer  is 
that  of  crossing  or  closing  the  fingers.  They  should  be  held 
widely  spread  apart.  We  have  the  following  tradition  in 
Ibn  Maja:19  "  Said  the  Prophet:  i  Do  not  put  your 
fingers  close  together  during  prayer.  It  is  also  forbidden  to 
cover  the  mouth  during  prayer.'  "  Another  tradition  reads 
that  the  Apostle  of  God  saw  a  man  who  had  crossed  his  fingers 
during  prayer  or  joined  them  close  together;  he  approached 
him  and  made  him  spread  his  fingers.20 

That  the  yawning,  to  which  reference  was  made,  has  con- 
nection with  spirits  and  demons  is  evident  from  a  tradition 
given  in  the  same  paragraph,  namely :  "  If  any  of  you 
yawn,  let  him  put  his  hand  upon  his  mouth  for  verily  the 
devil  is  laughing  at  him." 

The  Moslem  lives  constantly  in  dread  of  evil  spirits ;  this  is 

19  Vol.  I,  p.  158. 

20  Vol.  I,  p.  158. 


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ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYEE         55 

shown  by  other  traditions  regarding  the  prayer  ritual.  Eor 
example,  we  read  in  the  Sunnan  of  Ibn  Maja 21  that 
Mohammed  forbade  prayer  being  made  on  or  near  watering 
places  of  camels  because  camels  were  created  by  devils.  It 
is  an  old  superstition  that  Satan  had  a  hand  in  the  creation 
of  the  camel ;  the  explanation  is  given  in  the  commentators. 
We  are  solemnly  told  that  the  fingers  must  be  spread  so  as  to 
afford  no  nestling  place  for  evil  demons  and  that  therefore 
the  method  of  washing  the  hands  (Tahhlil)  consists  in  rub- 
bing the  outspread  fingers  of  both  hands  between  each  other. 
(Ibn  Maja,  Vol.  I,  p.  158,  Nasai,  Vol.  I,  pp.  30,  173,  186-7.) 
The  last  reference  is  particularly  important  as  it  shows  that 
Mohammed  inculcated  the  practice  of  moving  the  first  finger 
during  prayer.22  Undoubtedly  the  practice  of  combing  the 
hair  with  the  fingers  outspread  (Tahhlil  esh-Shaar)  to  which 
al-Bukhari  refers  (Vol.  I,  p.  51)  has  a  similar  significance. 
Some  of  the  sects  do  not  spread  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand 
during  prayer  but  make  a  special  effort  to  spread  those  of 
the  left.  This  may  be  because  the  left  hand  is  used  for 
ablutions  and  therefore  is  specially  apt  to  be  infected  by 
demonic  influence. 

We  give  further  reference  to  all  such  practices  as  re- 
corded in  a  standard  work  on  tradition,  the  Sunnan  of 
An-Nasai.23 

21  Vol.  I,  p.  134. 

22  Takhlil  is  not  only  used  of  the  fingers  but  of  the  toes  as  well,  there 
also  demons  lurk.  {See  Sha'arani's  "  Lawa'ih  al  Anwar  fi  Tabakat  al 
Ahjar,"  p.  26.) 

•23  In  prayer  there  should  be  no  gaps  in  the  ranks  of  the  wor- 
shipers lest  Satan  come  between.     Vol.  I,  p.  131. 

One  should  blow  the  nostrils  three  times  when  awakening  so  as 
to  drive  away  the  devil.     Ibid.,  Vol.  I,  p.  27. 

The  Prophet  forbade  sleep  in  bath-rooms  because  they  are  the  abode 
of  devils.     Ibid.,  Vol.  I,  p.  15. 

The  Prophet  forbade  facing  the  Kibla  when  fulfilling  a  call  of  nature, 
for  fear  of  Satan.     Ibid.,  Vol.  I,  p.  15. 

The  separation  of  the  fingers   (p.  30)  :  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand 


56     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

The  niche  in  a  mosque  that  shows  the  direction  to  which 
prayer  is  made  called  the  Mihrab,  i.e.,  "  the  place  of  fighting," 
or  perhaps,  the  instrnment  by  which  we  fight  the  demons? 
There  are  many  traditions  concerning  Mohammed's  struggle 
with  afrits  and  J  inn  in  a  mosque.  The  most  interesing  one 
is  given  in  Muslim  (Vol.  I,  p.  204).  "  Said  the  Apostle  of 
God  (on  him  be  prayers  and  peace) :  (  A  certain  demon  of 
the  Jinn  attacked  me  yesterday  in  order  to  stop  my  prayers, 
but,  verily,  God  gave  me  victory  over  him.  I  was  about  to 
tie  him  to  the  side  of  a  pillar  of  the  pillars  of  the  Mosque  so 
that  ye  might  get  up  in  the  morning  and  behold  him,  all  of 
you,  when  I  remembered  the  prayer  of  my  brother  Solomon : 
"  O  Lord,  forgive  me  and  give  me  a  dominion  such  as  no  one 
ever  had,"  and  after  that  God  set  the  demon  free ! '  "  The 
Mihrab  in  a  mosque,  I  am  told,  takes  the  place  of  the  Sutra 
outside  of  a  mosque  and  serves  the  same  purpose. 

The  forming  of  ranks  in  Moslem  prayers  as  they  face  the 
Mihrab,  is  most  important  and  therefore  they  are  extremely 
careful  of  it.  There  are  many  traditions  in  this  respect 
which  can  only  have  relation  to  belief  in  Jinn.  For  example, 
not  only  must  the  worshipers  stand  in  a  row,  but  in  a  mosque 
it  is  considered  most  important  to  stand  so  close  together  that 
nothing  can  possibly  pass  between.  They  stand  ready  like 
soldiers  in  massed-formation.     Here  is  the  tradition : 

Anas  states  that  the  Prophet  said :  "  Observe  your  ranks, 
for  I  can  see  you  from  behind  my  back."  "  Each  one  of 
us,"  he  adds,  "  put  his  shoulder  in  touch  with  his  neighbor's 
and  his  foot  with  that  of  his  neighbor."  24     We  must  add  to 

should  be  closed  tight  during  prayer  and  of  the  left  hand  spread  out, 
but  the  forefinger  should  remain  straight.     Ibid.,  Vol.  I,  p.  186. 

The  forefinger  should  be  bent  when  giving  witness.     Ibid.,  p.  187. 

The  fingers  should  be  moved.     Ibid.,  p.   187. 

Turning  the  head  around  during  prayer  is  caused  by  the  devil.  Ibid., 
Vol.  I,  p.  177. 

24Houdas'  al  Bukhari  (French  Trans.),  p.  243;  see  also  al  Nasai, 
Vol.  I,  pp.  173  and  186-7. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYEK         57 

this  another  superstition,  namely,  it  is  bad  luck  to  pray  on 
the  left  hand  of  the  Imam.  Ibn-' Abbas  said :  "  On  a  certain 
night  I  made  my  prayers  together  with  the  Prophet.  As  I 
was  placing  myself  on  his  left,  the  Messenger  of  God  taking 
hold  of  me  by  the  back  of  my  head,  placed  me  on  his  right. 
After  having  made  our  prayers,  he  lay  down  and  rested  until 
the  muezzin  came  to  look  for  him.  Then  he  got  up  and 
made  his  prayers  without  making  his  ablutions/'  25 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  lifting  of  the  hands  in 
prayer.  This  is  an  important  matter  for  discussion  in  all 
works  of  Fiqh. 

In  the  prayer  called  Qunut,  which  takes  place  during  and 
as  part  of  the  morning  prayer  (Salat),  the  hands  are  raised 
in  magical  fashion.  Goldziher  believes  the  original  significa- 
tion of  this  was  a  curse  or  imprecation  on  the  enemy;  such 
was  the  custom  of  the  Arabs.  The  Prophet  cursed  his  ene- 
mies in  this  way.  So  did  also  the  early  Caliphs.  In  Lane's 
Dictionary  (Art.  Qunut)  we  find  the  present  prayer  given  as 
follows :  "  O  God,  verily  we  beg  of  Thee  aid,  and  we  beg  of 
Thee  forgiveness.  And  we  believe  in  Thee  and  we  rely  on 
Thee,  and  we  laud  Thee  well,  and  we  will  not  be  unthankful 
to  Thee  for  Thy  favor,  and  we  cast  off  and  forsake  him  who 
disobeys  Thee :  O  God,  Thee  we  worship  and  to  Thee  we  per- 
form the  divinely-appointed  act  of  prayer,  and  prostrate  our- 
selves; and  we  are  quick  in  working  for  Thee  and  in  serving 
Thee;  we  hope  for  Thy  mercy,  and  we  dread  Thy  punish- 
ment; verily  (or  may)  2]hy  punishment  overtake  the  unbe- 
lievers/' It  is  said  of  the  Prophet  that  he  stood  during  a 
whole  month  after  the  prayer  of  daybreak  cursing  the  tribes  of 
Rial  and  Dhukwan.  We  read  in  Al-Muwatta  (Vol.  I,  p. 
216)  that  at  the  time  of  the  Qunut  they  used  to  curse  their 
enemies,  the  unbelievers,  in  the  month  of  Ramadhan.  Later 
on  this  custom  was  modified  or  explained  away.     Al-Bukhari 

25Houdas'  al  Bukhari   (French  Trans.),  p.  244. 


58     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

even  wrote  a  book  on  the  subject  as  to  when  the  hands  might 
be  lifted  in  prayer. 

There  is  no  doubt  regarding  the  origin  of  the  Qunut  prayer. 
We  learn  from  Yusuf  as  Safti  in  his  commentary  on  Ibn 
Turkis  well-known  book  on  Fiqh  (p.  157)  :  "  The  reason 
for  the  legislation  concerning  the  Qunut  is  as  follows :  One 
day  there  came  to  the  Prophet  certain  unbelievers  who  pre- 
tended that  they  had  become  Moslems  and  asked  him  that  he 
would  give  them  aid  from  among  his  Companions  as  a  troop 
against  their  enemies.  So  he  granted  them  seventy  men  from 
among  the  Companions ;  when  they  departed  with  them,  how- 
ever, they  took  them  out  to  the  desert  and  killing  them  threw 
them  into  the  well  Mayrah.  This  became  known  to  the 
Prophet  and  he  mistrusted  them  and  was  filled  with  wrath  and 
began  to  curse  them  saying:  '  O  God,  curse  Ra'ala  and  Lah- 
yan  and  Beni  Dhakwan  because  they  mocked  God  and  his 
Apostle.  O  God,  cause  to  come  down  upon  them  a  famine 
like  in  the  days  of  Joseph  and  help  el-Walid  ibn  el-Walid  and 
the  weak  company  of  Mecca.7  Then  Gabriel  came  down  to 
him  and  told  him  to  keep  quiet,  saying,  '  God  did  not  send  you 
a  reviler  and  a  curser  but  verily  he  sent  you  as  a  mercy.  He 
did  not  send  you  as  a  punishment.  The  affair  does  not  con- 
cern you;  for  God  will  either  forgive  them  or  punish  them. 
They  are  the  transgressors.'  Then  he  taught  him  the  Qunut 
aforementioned,  i.  e.,  the  prayer  now  used." 

In  spite  of  the  assertion  of  God's  unity  there  are  many 
other  things  connected  wih  Moslem  prayer  which  show  pagan 
magic,  such  as  the  power  through  certain  words  and  gestures 
to  influence  the  Almighty.  These  practices  were  prevalent 
before  Islam.  Professor  Goldziher  mentions  the  custom  of 
incantation  (Manashada)  similar  to  that  practiced  by  the 
heathen  Kahins.  Of  certain  leaders  in  the  early  days  of 
Islam  it  was  said :  "  If  so  and  so  would  adjure  anything 
upon  God  he  would  doubtless  obtain  it." 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PEAYEK         59 

Not  only  in  formal  prayer  (Salat)  but  also  in  the  Du'a 
(petition)  there  are  magical  practices,  especially  in  the  prayer 
for  eclipse  by  the  raising  of  the  hands.  We  are  told  (al- 
Bukhari)  that  on  one  occasion  the  Prophet  while  praying  for 
raih  raised  his  hands  so  high  that  one  conld  see  the  white 
skin  of  his  arm-pits.  In  the  case  of  Du'a  therefore,  the 
Kibla  is  said  to  be  heaven  itself  and  not  Mecca. 

Another  gesture  used  in  Du'a  is  the<  stroking  of  the  face, 
or  of  the  body  with  the  hands.  This  custom,  borrowed  from 
the  Prophet,  also  has  magical  effect.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  the  Prophet  put  his  hands  in  water  and  washed  his  face 
with  them,  repeating  the  creed. 

Goldziher  refers  especially  to  magical  elements  in  the 
prayer  for  rain,26  and  against  eclipses  of  the  sun  or  moon. 
These,  like  excessive  drought,  were  explained  and  combated 
by  the  pagan  Arabs  in  a  superstitious  manner.  Mohammed 
forbade  them  to  recognize  in  such  phenomena  anything  more 
than  special  manifestations  of  the  omnipotence  of  the  Crea- 
tor, yet  ordained  in  this  case  also  certain  ritual  prayers,  to  be 
continued  as  long  as  the  eclipse  lasted. 

No  Mohammedan  questions  for  a  moment  that  the  omnipo- 
tence of  God  reveals  itself  in  these  eclipses  —  indeed  no  doc- 
trine is  more  popular  than  that  of  the  omnipotence  of  God 
and  predestination  —  yet  in  the  ranks  of  the  people  all  kinds 
of  superstitions  prevail  in  regard  to  such  phenomena.  In 
these  temporary  obscurations  of  sun  and  moon  they  discern 
the  action  of  malignant  spirits  and  do  not  regard  the  perform- 
ance of  a  simple  service  of  prayer  as  a  sufficient  protection. 
"  In  Acheh,  as  in  other  Mohammedan  countries,  these  prayers 
are  left  to  the  representatives  of  religion,  the  teunhus  and 
leubes,  while  the  people  of  the  gam-pong  keep  up  a  mighty 

26  See  al  Bukhari  who  gives  certain  chapters  on  magical  formulas  to  be 
used  on  this  occasion.  Certain  of  the  companions  of  the  Prophet  were 
celebrated  as  rain-makers. 


60     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

uproar  beating  the  great  drum  of  the  meunasah,  and  firing  off 
guns  and  sometimes  even  cannons  in  order  to  frighten  away 
the  enemies  of  the  sun  and  moon.  Various  sorts  of  ratebs 
are  also  held  in  order  to  relieve  the  suffering  heavenly 
body."  27 

That  Moslem  prayer  has  become  paganized  among  the 
Malays  is  well  known.  The  whole  ceremony  of  sowing  rice 
and  reaping  the  first  crop  is  thoroughly  animistic,  and  yet  it 
Is  carried  on  with  Moslem-pagan  prayers  and  invocations. 
Among  many  examples  we  give  the  following  from  Skeat.28 
He  describes  how  a  woman  gathers  in  the  first  fruits. 

"  Next  she  took  in  one  hand  (out  of  the  brass  tray)  the 
stone,  the  egg,  cockle-shell  and  candle-nut,  and  with  the  other 
planted  the  big  iron  nail  in  the  center  of  the  sheaf  close  to 
the  foot  of  the  sugar-cane.  Then  she  took  in  her  left  hand 
the  cord  of  tree-bark,  and  after  fumigating  it,  together  with 
all  the  vessels  of  rice  and  oil,  took  up  some  of  the  rice  and 
strewed  it  round  about  the  sheaf,  and  then  tossed  the  re- 
mainder thrice  upwards,  some  of  it  falling  upon  the  rest  of 
the  company  and  myself. 

"  This  done,  she  took  the  end  of  the  cord  in  both  hands, 
and  encircling  the  sheaf  with  it  near  the  ground,  drew  it 
slowly  upward  to  the  waist  of  the  sheaf,  and  tied  it  there, 
after  repeating  what  is  called  the  l  Ten  Prayers '  (do'a 
sapuloh)  without  once  takmg  breath: 

"  The  first,  is  God, 

The  second,  is  Muhammad, 

The  third,  Holy  Water  of  the  five  Hours  of  Prayer  by  Day  and 

Night, 
The  fourth,  is  Pancha  Indra, 
The  fifth,  the  Open  Door  of  Daily  Bread, 
The  sixth,  the  Seven  Stories  of  the  Palace-Tower, 
The  seventh,  the  Open  Door  of  the  rice-sifting  Platform, 

27  Hurgronje's  "  The  Achenese,"  pp.  285-6. 

28  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic,"  p.  240. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYEK         61 

The  eighth,  the  Open  Door  of  Paradise, 

The  ninth,  is  the  child  in  its  Mother's  Womb, 

The  tenth  is  the  Child  created  by  God,  the  reason  of  its  creation 

being  our  Lord, 
Grant  this,  'Isa! 
Grant  this,  Moses! 
Grant  this,  Joseph! 
Grant  this,  David! 
Grant  me,  from  God  (the  opening  of)  all  the  doors  of  my  daily 

bread,  on  earth,  and  in  heaven." 

In  Algeria  the  usual  posture  used  in  prayer  for  rain  is 
standing  upright  with  the  elbows  bent  and  palms  turned  up- 
wards. Prayers  for  rain  must  only  be  done  out  of  doors 
and  with  old  clothes  on,  the  burnous  being  worn  inside  out 
to  express  distress  and  need. 

For  eclipse  of  the  sun  a  long  prayer  is  made  standing  with 
hands  down  at  the  side,  fingers  extended,  then  a  long  prayer 
while  the  hands  are  bent  on  the  knees.  These  two  positions 
are  repeated  with  each  prayer. 

In  Yemen,  at  the  first  of  the  year,  if  there  is  a  drought  five 
cows  are  brought  to  a  special  mosque  and  each  one  in  turn 
is  driven  around  the  mosque  three  times  by  a  huge  crowd  of 
young  men,  who  constantly  pray  or  recite  the  Koran.  In 
case  of  an  eclipse  water  is  put  in  large  trays  in  the  open  air 
and  the  people  peer  into  this  water  searching  for  the  moon's 
reflection,  but  in  this  prayer  also  is  not  forgotten. 

In  1917  there  was  a  total  eclipse  of  the  moon  visible  in 
Egypt.  As  might  well  be  expected  the  eclipse  greatly  excited 
the  Egyptian  masses,  who  were  very  much  impressed  by  the 
fact  that  it  coincided  with  Pamadan  and  the  war.  Pans  and 
drums  as  well  as  other  noise-making  appliances  were  beaten 
by  them  as  long  as  the  phenomenon  was  visible,  and  even  after 
its  disappearance,  many  servants  refused  to  go  to  sleep  on  the 
roofs. 

Among  the  Turkish  Moslems  there  is  a  superstition  regard- 


62     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ing  the  value  of  "  rain  stones  "  called  Yada  Rashi,  or  in 
Persian  Sangi  Yada.  This  superstition  dates  from  before 
their  conversion  to  Islam  but  still  persists  and  spread  to  Mo- 
rocco. In  Tlemcen  the  Moslems  in  time  of  drought  gather 
70,000  pebbles  which  are  put  in  seventy  sacks;  during  the 
night  they  repeat  the  Koran  prayers  over  every  one  of  these 
pebbles,  after  which  the  bags  are  emptied  into  the  ivady  with 
the  hope  of  rain.29 

This  service  of  prayer  is  also  occasionally  held  in  Java, 
under  the  name  istiha;  but  a  more  popular  method  of  rain- 
making  is  "  giving  the  cat  a  bath/'  which  is  sometimes  accom- 
panied by  small  processions  and  other  ceremonies.  "  In 
Acheh,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,"  says  Dr.  Snouck  Hurgronje, 
"  the  actual  custom  no  longer  survives,  though  it  has  left 
traces  of  its  former  existence  in  sundry  popular  evpressions. 
'  It  is  very  dry ;  we  must  give  the  cat  a  bath  and  then  we 
shall  get  rain,'  say  the  padi-planters  when  their  harvest  threat- 
ens to  fail  through  drought." 

"  In  Tunis  and  Tripoli,"  Major  Tremearne  tells  us,  "  if 
there  is  no  rain,  and  the  crops  are  being  ruined,  the  Arabs  go 
in  procession  outside  the  city  with  drums  and  flags,  and  pray 
for  rain,  and,  according  to  Haj  Ali,  cows  are  made  to  urinate 
and  the  roofs  of  the  houses  are  wetted  with  water  by  the  Arabs 
and  Hausas  with  them  as  a  means  of  bringing  down  rain. 
But  if  there  is  no  result  the  negroes  are  summoned  to  use 
their  magic." 

"  In  Northern  Algeria,  amongst  the  Magazawa  of  Gobir, 
the  rain  was  made  to  fall  and  to  cease  in  the  following  man- 
ner, according  to  Haj  Ali.  The  rain-makers  were  nine  in 
number  and  would  go  round  with  wooden  clubs  to  a  tsamiya 
(tamarind)  or  a  ganje  (rubber)  tree  near  the  gate  of  the 
town,  and  sacrifice  a  black  bull,  the  blood  being  allowed  to 

29  Goldziher  in  the  "  Noldeke  Festschrift,"  Zauber  Elemente  im  Islam- 
ischen  Gebet,  p.  316. 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PRAYER         63 

flow  into  the  roots.  Then  four  pots  of  giya  (beer)  were 
brought,  and  were  drunk  by  the  rain-makers.  After  this, 
the  eldest  of  the  nine  (Mai-Shibko)  would  rise,  put  on  the 
hide  and  call  out :  "  You  Youths,  You  Youths,  You  Youths, 
ask  the  Man  (Allah)  to  send  down  water  for  us,  tell  the 
Owner  of  the  Heavens  that  men  are  dying  here,  ask  him  to 
spit  upon  us."  The  eight  others  would  rise  and  stand  around 
the  old  man,  and  call  out  in  a  loud  voice  what  they  had  been 
told  to  say,  and  add :  "  If  you  do  not  send  rain  we  will  kill 
this  old  man.  We  are  true  to  you,  see,  we  have  sacrificed  a 
bull  to  you."  Then  brandishing  their  weapons  in  the  air, 
they  would  continue :  "  If  you  do  not  send  down  the  rain, 
we  will  throw  up  our  clubs  at  you."  30 

Regarding  prayers  for  rain  offered  up  by  the  Mohamme- 
dans in  China  we  glean  the  following  from  the  Revue  du 
Monde  Musulman  (Vol.  26,  p.  89,  article  by  G.  Cordier) : 
"  A  procession  is  formed  headed  by  the  ahong,  or  priest,  car- 
rying three  objects  which  I  will  here  describe : 

"  (1)  A  sack  filled  with  7,000  stones,  very  clean  and  which 
have  been  gathered  from  the  bed  of  some  river  near  by. 
These  may  be  said  to  represent  a  sort  of  rosary  as  ten  prayers 
are  repeated  over  each  stone. 

"  (2)  A  sword  of  the  shape  employed  in  the  mosques  but 
without  a  sheath.  On  the  handle  of  this  sword  is  inscribed 
the  words  pao-Jcien,  i.  e.,  the  '  precious  sword,'  and  in  Ara- 
bic the  creed.  This  sword  is  made  of  wood  and  is  covered 
with  inscriptions  in  Arabic  characters  and  carried  in  a  case 
made  of  vellow  linen. 

"  (3)  A  tablet  made  of  brass.  The  Chinese  call  it  Chao 
p'ai,  that  is  to  say  the  '  Tablet  that  is  planted.'  The  Mos- 
lems call  it  t'ong  P'ai,  '  Tablet  of  brass,'  and  in  Arabic 
lukh  7iahas.  This  tablet  is  also  covered  with  Arabic  inscrip- 
tions. 

so  "  The  Ban  of  the  Bori,"  pp.  185,  189. 


64     THE  INFLUENCE  OE  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

"  Forty-four  flags  covered  with  quotations  from  the  Koran 
are  also  carried  in  these  processions,  and  as  they  march  pray- 
ers are  chanted.  Arriving  at  Hei-long-t'an,  the  source  of  the 
black  dragon,  the  procession  halts  near  the  basin  called  Etang 
du  dragon.  There  a  Moslem  beats  the  water  with  the  sword 
while  the  prayers  are  continued. 

"  This  done  an  ahong  holding  the  brass  tablet  gets  into  the 
water  and  throws  it  in  so  as  to  make  a  fish  come  out  (others 
say  a  water  snake).  When  this  is  caught  they  place  it  in 
some  water  taken  from  the  same  source  and  carry  it  back  to 
the  mosque  and  is  kept  there  until  the  rain  comes  down. 
When  this  happens  it  is  taken  back  to  the  basin  where  it  is 
again  thrown  in."  31 

In  conclusion  we  may  here  give  four  of  the  short  final 
chapters  of  the  Koran  that  are  used  at  the  time  of  the  five 
daily  prayers  and  which  contain  allusions  to  animistic  and 
pagan  practices  current  in  Arabia  before  Islam.  It  is  true 
that  the  beautiful  opening  chapter  of  the  Koran  with  its  lofty 
theism  and  the  chapter  of  the  Forenoon  with  its  pathetic  ref- 
erence to  Mohammed's  childhood  are  frequently  on  Moslem 
lips.  So  also  is  the  chapter  of  the  Unity  (CXII).  But  what 
thoughts  a  Moslem  has  when  he  repeats  the  following  chapters, 
if  he  understands  the  words,  we  may  learn  from  the  com- 
mentaries. After  reading  what  they  tell  us  there  remains 
little  doubt  that  paganism  entered  Islam  by  the  door  of  the 
Koran ! 

"  In  the  name  of  the  merciful  and  compassionate  God. 

"  Verily,  we  sent  it  down  on  the  Night  of  Power ! 

3i  "  A  few  days  ago,"  writes  Miss  H.  E.  Levermore  of  Tsinchow,  "  the 
Moslems  had  a  rain  procession, —  a  thing  rarely  known  with  them.  It 
is  said  once  before  they  had  one,  and  the  informer  significantly  adds, 
'  and  they  revolted  just  after.'  In  this  procession  there  was  no  noise, 
great  order  and  devotion  being  observed.  The  Moslems  walked  the 
streets  carrying  incense  and  reading  their  incantations.  Two  chairs 
carrying  Moslem  sacred  books  were  caried,  whilst  the  priests  had  open 
Arabic  Korans  in  their  hands." 


ANIMISTIC  ELEMENTS  IN  PKAYER         65 

"  And  what  shall  make  thee  know  what  the  Night  of  Power 
is  ?  —  the  Night  of  Power  is  better  than  a  thousand  months  ! 

"  The  angels  and  the  spirits  descend  therein,  by  the  permis- 
sion of  their  Lord  with  every  bidding. 

"  Peace  it  is  until  rising  of  the  dawn !  "  32 

"  In  the  name  of  the  merciful  and  compassionate  God. 

"  By  the  snorting  chargers. 

"  And  those  who  strike  fire  with  their  hoofs. 

"  And  those  who  make  incursions  in  the  morning, 

"  And  raise  up  dust  therein. 

"  And  cleave  through  a  host  therein. 

"  Verily,  man  is  to  his  Lord  ungrateful ;  and,  verily,  he  is 
a  witness  of  that. 

"  Verily,  he  is  keen  in  his  love  of  good. 

"  Does  he  not  know  when  the  tombs  are  exposed,  and  what 
is  in  the  breasts  is  brought  to  light  ? 

"  Verily,  thy  Lord  upon  that  day  indeed  is  well  aware."  33 

"  In  the  name  of  the  merciful  and  compassionate  God. 

"  Say,  '  I  seek  refuge  in  the  Lord  of  the  daybreak,  from 
the  evil  of  what  He  has  created ;  and  from  the  evil  of  the  night 
when  it  cometh  on;  and  from  the  evil  of  the  blowers  upon 
knots ;  and  from  the  evil  of  the  envious  when  he  envies.'  "  34 

"  Say,  '  I  seek  refuge  in  the  Lord  of  men,  the  King  of  men, 
the  God  of  men,  from  the  evil  of  the  whisperer,  who  slinks 
off,  who  whispers  into  the  hearts  of  men  —  from  jinns  and 
men.'  " 

32  33  34  "  The  Quran,"  Part  II.     Translated  by  E.  H.  Palmer.     Suras 
97,  100,  113,  114. 


CHAPTEE  IV 

HAIR,,    FINGER-NAILS    AND    THE    HAND 

It  must  not  surprise  us  that  a  great  deal  of  animism  and 
old  Arabian  superstition  persist  in  Islam.  The  words  of 
Frazer  apply  in  this  connection : 1  "As  in  Europe  beneath 
a  superficial  layer  of  Christianity  a  faith  in  magic  and  witch- 
craft, in  ghosts  and  goblins  has  always  survived  and  even 
flourished  among  the  weak  and  ignorant,  so  it  has  been  and 
so  it  is  in  the  East.  Brahminism,  Buddhism,  Islam  may 
come  and  go,  but  the  belief  in  magic  and  demons  remains  un- 
shaken through  them  all,  and,  if  we  may  judge  of  the  future 
from  the  past,  is  likely  to  survive  the  rise  and  fall  of  other 
historical  religions."  He  goes  on  to  say,  "  With  the  common 
herd,  who  compose  the  great  bulk  of  every  people,  the  new 
religion  is  accepted  only  in  outward  show,  because  it  is  im- 
pressed upon  them  by  their  natural  leaders  whom  they  can- 
not choose  but  follow.  They  yield  a  dull  assent  to  it  with 
their  lips,  but  in  their  hearts  they  never  really  abandon  their 
old  superstitions;  in  these  they  cherish  a  faith  such  as  they 
cannot  repose  in  the  creed  which  they  nominally  profess; 
and  to  these,  in  the  trials  and  emergencies  of  life,  they  have 
recourse  as  to  infallible  remedies  when  the  promises  of  the 
higher  faith  have  failed  them,  as  indeed  such  promises  are  apt 
to  do."  2 

i"The  Scapegoat,"  pp.  89-90. 

2  This  is  true,  alas,  even  in  Christendom.     But  outside  its  pale, 

"  Superstition  has  sacrificed  countless  lives,  wasted  untold  treasures, 

embroiled  nations,  severed  friends,  parted  husbands  and  wives,  parents 

and  children,  putting  swords  and  worse  than  swords  between  them;  it 

has  filled  jails  and  mad-houses  with  innocent  or  deluded  victims;   it 

66 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      67 

What  is  here  written  has  reference  to  the  popular  customs 
observed  by  Moslems  in  all  lands  and  connected  with  hair- 
cutting,  nail-trimming,  and  the  use  of  the  hand  as  an  amulet, 
the  latter  especially  in  lower  Egypt  and  North  Africa.     Cus- 

has  broken  many  hearts,  embittered  the  whole  of  many  a  life,  and  not 
content  with  persecuting  the  living  it  has  pursued  the  dead  into  the 
grave  and  beyond  it,  gloating  over  the  horrors  which  its  foul  imagina- 
tion has  conjured  up  to  appall  and  torture  the  survivors.  How  numer- 
ous its  ramifications  and  products  have  been  is  merely  hinted  in  the 
following  list  of  subjects  given  as  cross-references  in  a  public  library 
catalogue  card:  Alchemy,  apparitions,  astrology,  charms,  delusions, 
demonology,  devil-worship,  divination,  evil  eye,  fetishism,  folk-lore, 
legends,  magic,  mythology,  occult  sciences,  oracles,  palmistry,  relics, 
second  sight,  sorcery,  spiritualism,  supernatural,  totems  and  witch- 
craft. This  force  has  pervaded  all  provinces  of  life  from  the  cradle  to 
the  grave,  and,  as  Frazer  says,  beyond.  It  establishes  customs  as  bind- 
ing as  taboo,  dictates  forms  of  worship  and  perpetuates  them,  obsesses 
the  imagination  and  leads  it  to  create  a  world  of  demons  and  hosts 
of  lesser  spirits  and  ghosts  and  ghouls,  and  inspires  fear  and  even 
worship  of  them."  * 

Professor  F.  B.  Dresslar  of  the  University  of  California  prepared  a 
list  of  those  things  with  which  superstition  was  connected  in  that 
State.  He  secured  the  list  through  questions  to  grown-up  people  in  the 
present  century.  It  was  as  follows:  Salt,  bread  and  butter,  tea  and 
coffee,  plants  and  fruit;  fire,  lightning,  rainbow,  the  moon,  the  stars; 
babies,  birds,  owls,  peacocks  and  their  feathers,  chickens,  cats,  dogs, 
cows,  swine,  horses,  rabbits,  rats,  frogs  and  toads,  fish,  sheep,  crickets, 
snakes,  lizards,  turtles,  wolves,  bees,  dragon  flies;  chairs  and  tables, 
clocks,  mirrors,  spoons,  knives  and  forks,  pointed  instruments,  pins, 
hairpins,  combs,  umbrellas  (mostly  unlucky),  candles,  matches,  tea- 
kettle, brooms,  dishcloths,  handkerchiefs,  gardening  tools,  ladders, 
horseshoes,  hay;  days  of  the  week  and  various  festivals  or  fasts,  espe- 
cially Hallowe'en,  birthdays;  various  numbers,  counting,  laughing, 
singing,  crying;  starting  on  a  journey  and  turning  back,  two  persons 
simultaneously  saying  the  same  thing,  passing  in  at  one  door  and  out 
at  another,  walking  on  opposite  sides  of  a  post,  stepping  on  cracks, 
sneezing,  crossing  hands  while  shaking  hands,  use  of  windows  as  exits, 
stumbling;  itching  of  palm,  eye,  nose,  ear.  or  foot;  warts,  moles;  vari- 
ous articles  of  dress,  shoes,  precious  stones,  amulets  and  charms,  rings, 
money;  wish-bones;  death  and  funerals,  dreams,  spiritisms,  weddings, 
and  initials. 


*  a 


The  New   Schaff  Herzog  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge," 
Vol.  XI,  p.  169. 


68     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

toms  which  have  in  many  cases  been  approved  and  perpetu- 
ated by  the  example  of  Mohammed  himself. 

According  to  Skeat  there  are  certain  portions  of  the  human 
frame  which  are  considered  invested  with  a  special  sanctity, 
and  require  special  ceremonies  among  the  pagans.  These 
parts  of  the  anatomy  are  the  head,  the  hair,  the  teeth,  the  ears 
and  the  nails.  He  says  in  regard  to  hair  and  its  sacred 
character :  "  From  the  principle  of  the  sanctity  of  the  head 
flows,  no  doubt,  the  necessity  of  using  the  greatest  circum- 
spection during  the  process  of  cutting  the  hair.  Sometimes 
throughout  the  whole  life  of  the  wearer,  and  frequently  dur- 
ing special  periods,  the  hair  is  left  uncut.  Thus  I  was  told 
that  in  former  days  Malay  men  usually  wore  their  hair  long, 
and  I  myself  have  seen  an  instance  of  this  at  Jugra  in  Se- 
langor  in  the  person  of  a  Malay  of  the  old  school,  who  was 
locally  famous  on  this  account.  So,  too,  during  the  forty 
days  which  must  elapse  before  the  purification  of  a  woman 
after  the  birth  of  her  child,  the  father  of  the  child  is  forbid- 
den to  cut  his  hair,  and  a  similar  abstention  is  said  to  have 
been  formerly  incumbent  upon  all  persons  either  prosecuting 
a  journey  or  engaging  in  war.  Often  a  boy's  head  is  entirely 
shaven  shortly  after  birth  with  the  exception  of  a  single  lock 
in  the  center  of  the  head,  and  so  maintained  until  the  boy 
begins  to  grow  up,  but  frequently  the  operation  is  postponed 
(generally,  it  is  said,  in  consequence  of  a  vow  made  by  the 
child's  parents)  until  the  period  of  puberty  or  marriage. 
Great  care,  too,  must  be  exercised  in  disposing  of  the  clip- 
pings of  hair  (more  especially  the  first  clippings),  as  the 
Malay  profoundly  believes  that  "  the  sympathetic  connection 
which  exists  between  himself  and  every  part  of  his  body  con- 
tinues to  exist  even  after  the  physical  connection  has  been 
severed,  and  that  therefore  he  will  suffer  from  any  harm  that 
may  befall  the  severed  parts  of  his  body,  such  as  the  clippings 
of  his  hair,  or  the  parings  of  his  nails.     Accordingly  he  takes 


HAIB,  FINGEK-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      69 

care  that  those  severed  portions  of  himself  shall  not  be  left 
in  places  where  they  might  either  be  exposed  to  accidental 
injury,  or  fall  into  the  hands  of  malicious  persons  who  might 
work  magic  on  them  to  his  detriment  or  death."  3 

According  to  animistic  beliefs  the  soul  of  man  rests  not 
only  in  his  heart  but  pervades  special  parts  of  his  body,  such 
as  the  head,  the  intestines,  the  blood,  placenta,  hair,  teeth, 
saliva,  sweat,  tears,  etc.  The  means  by  which  this  soul-stuff 
is  protracted  or  conveyed  to  others  is  through  spitting,  blow- 
ing, blood-wiping,  or  touch.  In  all  of  these  particulars  and 
under  all  of  these  subjects  we  have  superstitions  in  Islam 
that  date  back  to  pagan  days  but  are  approved  in  and  by  Mos- 
lem tradition  and  in  some  cases  by  the  Koran  itself. 

In  the  disposal  of  hair-cuttings  and  nail-trimmings  among 
Moslems  to-day,  and  their  magical  use,  there  is  clear  evidence 
of  animistic  belief.  People  may  be  bewitched  through  the 
clippings  of  their  hair  and  parings  of  their  nails.  This  be- 
lief is  world-wide,4  "  To  preserve  the  cut  hair  and  nails  from 
injury,"  says  Frazer,  "  and  from  the  dangerous  uses  to  which 
they  may  be  put  by  sorcerers,  it  is  necessary  to  deposit  them 
in  some  safe  place.  In  Morocco  women  often  hang  their  cut 
hair  on  a  tree  that  grows  on  or  near  the  grave  of  a  wonder- 
working saint ;  for  they  think  thus  to  rid  themselves  of  head- 
ache or  to  guard  against  it.  In  Germany  the  clippings  of 
hair  used  often  to  be  buried  under  an  elder-bush.  In  Olden- 
burg cut  hair  and  nails  are  wrapped  in  a  cloth  which  is  de- 
posited in  a  hole  in  an  elder-tree  three  days  before  the  new 
moon;  the  hole  is  then  plugged  up.  In  the  west  of  North- 
umberland it  is  thought  that  if  the  first  parings  of  a  child's 
nails  are  buried  under  an  ash-tree,  the  child  will  turn  out  a 
fine  singer.  In  Amboyna  before  a  child  may  taste  sago-pap 
for  the  first  time,  the  father  cuts  off  a  lock  of  the  infant's 

3  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic,"  pp.  43-45. 

4  "  Taboo  and  the  Perils  of  the  Soul,"  pp.  274-275. 


70     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

hair,  which  he  buries  under  a  sago-palm.  In  the  Aru  Islands 
when  a  child  is  able  to  run  alone,  a  female  relation  shears  a 
lock  of  its  hair  and  deposits  it  on  a  banana-tree.  In  the  Is- 
land of  Rotti  it  is  thought  that  the  first  hair  which  a  child 
gets  is  not  his  own,  and  that  if  it  is  not  cut  off  it  will  make 
him  weak  and  ill.  Hence,  when  the  child  is  about  a  month 
old,  his  hair  is  polled  with  ceremony.  As  each  of  the 
friends  who  are  invited  to  the  ceremony  enters  the  house  he 
goes  up  to  the  child,  snips  off  a  little  of  its  hair  and  drops  it 
into  a  cocoanut  shell  full  of  water.  Afterwards  the  father 
or  another  relation  takes  the  hair  and  packs  it  into  a  little 
bag  made  of  leaves,  which  he  fastens  to  the  top  of  a  palm- 
tree.  Then  he  gives  the  leaves  of  the  palm  a  good  shaking, 
climbs  down,  and  goes  home  without  speaking  to  any  one. 
Indians  of  the  Yukon  territory,  Alaska,  do  not  throw  away 
their  cut  hair  and  nails,  but  tie  them  up  in  little  bundles 
and  place  them  in  the  crotches  of  trees  or  wherever  they  are 
not  likely  to  be  disturbed  by  beasts.  For  they  have  a  super- 
stition that  disease  will  follow  the  disturbance  of  such  re- 
mains by  animals.  Often  the  clipped  hair  and  nails  are 
stowed  away  in  any  secret  place,  not  necessarily  in  a  temple 
or  cemetery  or  at  a  tree,  as  in  the  case  already  mentioned." 

It  is  remarkable  that  in  Arabia,  Egypt  and  North  Africa 
everywhere  this  custom  of  stowing  away  clippings  of  hair 
and  nails  is  still  common  among  Moslems  and  is  sanctioned  by 
the  practice  of  the  Prophet. 

Among  the  Malays  hair  offerings  are  made  to-day  in  thor- 
oughly pagan  fashion,  but  it  is  interesting  that  the  shorn  locks 
are  not  buried  under  the  threshold  as  they  were  before  Islam, 
but  are  now  sent  to  Mecca.  We  quote  from  Skeat  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  ceremony  at  a  wedding  when  the  bride's  locks  are 
cut: 

"  The  cocoanut  containing  the  severed  tresses  and  rings  is 
carried  to  the  foot  of  a  barren  fruit-tree  (e.  g.,  a  pomegran- 


HAIK,  EINGEK-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      71 

ate  tree) ,  when  the  rings  are  extracted  and  the  water  (with 
the  severed  locks)  poured  out  at  the  tree's  foot,  the  belief  be- 
ing that  this  proceeding  will  make  the  tree  as  luxuriant  as 
the  hair  of  the  person  shorn,  a  very  clear  example  of  '  sympa- 
thetic magic/  If  the  parents  are  poor,  the  cocoanut  is  gener- 
ally turned  upside  down  and  left  there;  but  if  they  are  well- 
to-do,  the  locks  are  usually  sent  to  Mecca  in  charge  of  a  pil- 
grim, who  casts  them  on  his  arrival  into  the  well  Zemzem."  5 

In  North  Africa  a  man  will  not  have  his  hair  shaved  in  the 
presence  of  any  one  who  owes  him  a  grudge.  After  his  hair 
has  been  cut,  he  will  look  around,  and  if  there  is  no  enemy 
about  he  will  mix  his  cuttings  with  those  of  other  men,  and 
leave  them,  but  if  he  fears  some  one  there  he  will  collect  the 
cuttings,  and  take  them  secretly  to  some  place  and  bury  them. 
With  a  baby  this  is  said  to  be  unnecessary,  as  he  has  no  ene- 
mies —  a  surprising  statement.  Nails  are  cut  with  scissors 
and  they  are  always  buried  in  secret.  One  can  see  this  super- 
stition also  in  the  account  given  of  a  charm  described  by 
Captain  Tremearne,6  which  consists  of  certain  roots  from 
trees  mixed  with  a  small  lock  of  hair  from  the  forehead  and 
the  partings  of  all  the  nails,  hands  and  feet,  except  those  of 
the  index  fingers.  The  fact  of  this  exception  clearly  shows 
that  we  deal  again  with  a  superstition  that  has  come  from 
Arabian  Animism,  as  we  shall  see  later. 

In  Bahrein,  East  Arabia,  they  observe  a  special  order  in 
trimming  the  finger-nails  and  bury  the  discarded  trimmings 
in  a  piece  of  white  cloth  saying  Hatha  amana  rain  'andina  ya 
Iblis  yashud  lana  al  Rahman.1  They  bury  hair-combings 
in  the  same  way  expecting  to  receive  them  back  on  the  day 
of  resurrection.  Concerning  the  thumb,  they  think  it  has 
no  account  with  God  because  it  can  do  no  evil  alone. 

sSkeat's  "Malay  Magic,"  p.  355. 

6  "  The  Ban  of  the  Bori,"  p.  57. 

7  "  O  Satan,  this  is  a  safe  deposit  from  us  as  God  is  our  witness." 


72     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

The  belief  that  cut  hair  and  nails  contain  soul-stuff  and 
therefore  may  be  used  for  spiritual  communion  leads  Mos- 
lems to  hang  their  hair  on  the  tombs  of  saints  together  with 
shreds  of  their  garments,  nails,  teeth,  etc.  On  the  great  gate 
of  Old  Cairo,  called  Bab-el-Mutawali,  this  also  takes  place 
and  one  may  watch  a  constant  procession  of  men,  women  and 
children  having  communion  with  the  saint  who  dwells  be- 
hind or  under  this  gateway  and  seeking  through  personal  con- 
tact with  the  doorway  by  touching,  breathing,  etc.,  to  carry 
away  the  blessing. 

In  connection  with  this  superstition  Rev.  L.  E.  Hogberg, 
of  Chinese  Turkestan,8  tells  of  the  popular  belief  that  "  dur- 
ing the  last  days,  Satan  will  appear  on  earth  riding  on  a 
Merr  dedjell  (Satan's  mule).  Every  hair  on  the  mule's  body 
is  a  tuned  string  or  musical  instrument.  By  the  music  fur- 
nished in  this  way  all  the  people  on  earth  are  tempted  to  fol- 
low Satan.  Great  horns  grow  out  on  their  heads,  so  that 
they  can  never  return  through  their  doors.  The  faithful  Mo- 
hammedan has,  however,  a  way  of  salvation.  He  has  care- 
fully collected  his  cut-off  nails,  and  placed  them  under  the 
threshold,  where  they  have  formed  a  hedge,  blocking  the  door 
so  as  to  prevent  the  household  from  running  after  Satan !  " 
Again  the  hair  and  nails  have  special  power  assigned  to  them 
as  a  protection  for  the  soul  against  evil ! 

In  many  parts  of  the  Moslem  world  such  as  in  East  Arabia, 
human  hair  is  used  by  native  doctors  of  medicine  as  a  power- 
ful tonic.  It  is  generally  administered  as  tinsture  or  decoc- 
tion. In  this  respect  the  hair  of  saints  has  more  value  than 
ordinary  hair.  I  have  known  of  a  case  where  a  learned 
kadi  sent  to  the  barbers  to  collect  hair  in  order  to  prepare  such 
a  powerful  tonic.  Miss  Fanny  Lutton  writes  from  Muscat, 
Arabia :     "  Just   in   front   of  the   Mission   compound    is    a 

8  Correspondence  in  a  magazine   called   Central  Asia  for  December, 
1916. 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      73 

Mosque,  and  in  the  compound  of  the  Mosque  is  a  saint's 
grave.  I  have  witnessed  some  queer  heathenish  perform- 
ances there.  Only  a  short  time  ago  a  crowd  of  women,  men 
and  children  were  assembled.  A  woman  brought  her  one- 
year-old  son  to  have  his  head  shaved  over  the  grave.  A  cloth 
was  spread  to  receive  the  hair  and  it  was  afterwards  tied  to 
a  small  flagpole  at  the  head  of  the  grave,  and  then  a  new 
red  flag  was  also  attached  which  must  be  left  there  until  it 
fades  and  wears  out,  when  it  must  be  replaced  with  a  new 
one  and  with  similar  ceremonies.  Refreshments  were  par- 
taken of  by  the  visitors  sitting  around  the  grave  and  much 
merriment  was  indulged  in.  -  Helwa  (candy)  was  thrown 
over  the  grave  and  rose  water  was  sprinkled  all  over  the  grave. 
Then  the  company  as  well  as  the  mother  and  child  were 
marched  three  times  around  the  grave  and  led  out  of  the 
grounds  walking  backwards,  for  those  who  perform  the  vow 
must  never  turn  their  backs  on  the  grave  as  they  leave.  This 
hair  is  very  efficacious  for  various  ills.  Yesterday  I  saw  the 
keeper,  who  is  a  very  wicked  woman,  approach  the  grave. 
Her  first  act  was  to  stoop  down  and  kiss  the  earth  at  the  head 
of  the  grave.  She  then  tore  off  some  of  the  rag  that  was 
wrapped  around  the  hair  and  took  a  portion  of  the  hair  and 
tied  it  in  a  bundle  and  delivered  it  to  the  woman  that  had 
come  with  her.  No  doubt  the  women  had  been  sent  to  get 
this  for  some  serious  case  that  would  not  yield  to  other  treat- 
ments, and  so  the  Mullah  (priest)  or  woman  reader  had  been 
called  to  the  case  and  had  prescribed  the  hair  which  the  pa- 
tient must  wear  to  keep  off  evil  spirits." 

Special  chapters  are  found  in  the  lives  of  Mohammed  the 
prophet  on  the  virtues  of  his  fadhalat,  spittle,  urine,9  blood, 

9  There  are  traditions  in  Bukhari  and  Muslim  to  show  the  sacred 
power  of  Mohammed's  blood,  spittle,  etc.  It  is  also  taught  that  even 
the  excreta  of  the  prophet  of  Arabia  were  free  from  all  defilement.  Cf. 
"  Insan  al  Ayun  al  Halebi,"  Vol.  II,  p.  222. 


74     THE  INFLUENCE  OE  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

etc.,  including  his  hair.  We  read,  for  example,  in  the  life  of 
Mohammed  by  Seyyid  Ahmed  Zaini  Dahlan :  10  "  When  the 
Prophet  had  his  head  shaved  and  his  companions  surrounded 
him  they  never  suffered  a  single  hair  to  fall  to  the  ground  but 
seized  them  as  good  omens  or  for  blessing.  And  since  His 
Excellency  only  had  his  hair  cut  at  the  times  of  the  pilgrim- 
age this  had  become  sunna,  so  it  is  related  in  the  Mawaliib, 
and  he  who  denies  it  should  be  severely  punished."  And  Mo- 
hammed bin  Darain  relates :  "  I  said  to  Obeid  al  Suleimani, 
'  I  have  a  few  hairs  of  the  Prophet  which  I  took  from  Anas/ 
and  he  replied,  '  If  I  had  a  single  hair  it  would  be  more  to 
me  than  all  the  world.'  "  Because  of  this  belief,  hairs  of  the 
Prophet's  beard  and  in  some  cases  of  other  saints  in  Islam 
are  preserved  as  relics  in  the  mosques  throughout  the  world, 
e.  g.,  at  Delhi,  Aintab,  Damascus,  etc.  To  give  a  recent  in- 
stance, the  population  of  Safed  in  Palestine,  according  to  a 
missionary  correspondent,  "  was  all  excitement  in  the  early 
days  of  July,  1911,  because  a  veritable  hair  from  the  beard 
of  the  Prophet  had  been  granted  them  as  a  gift  by  the  Sultan. 
A  Christian  builder  was  engaged  to  restore  a  mosque  of  the 
Binat  Yacob,  where  the  famous  relic  now  finds  shelter.  The 
mayor  of  the  city  took  the  journey  to  Acre  in  order  to  accom- 
pany the  relic  to  its  resting-place.  The  correspondent  goes 
on  to  relate  some  of  the  marvels  that  were  told  as  to  the  vir- 
tues connected  with  the  hair  of  the  Prophet.  Twenty  sol- 
diers, fully  armed,  escorted  the  relic."  n 

This  same  relic  was  the  object  of  the  most  energetic  search 
among  Moslems  from  the  earliest  period  of  Islam.  Ac- 
cording to  Goldziher  the  hair  was  worn  as  an  amulet,  and 
men  on  their  deathbeds  directed  by  will  that  the  precious  pos- 

10  Margin  of  Sirat  al  Halabi,  Cairo  Edition,  1308  A.H.,  vol.  iii,  pp. 
238-9. 

uDer  Christliche  Orient,  Sept.,  1911. 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      75 

session  should  go  down  with  them  and  mingle  with  the  earth. 
JafLr-ibn-Khinzabu,  the  vizier  of  an  Egyptian  prince,  had 
three  such  hairs  which  at  his  death  were  put  into  fcis  mouth, 
and  his  remains,  according  to  his  last  testament,  were  carried 
to  Medina.  Impostors  and  charlatans  were  not  slow  to  turn 
to  advantage  the  credulity  of  the  devout.  Let  us  listen  to 
Abdul  Jani  ul-Nabulusi,  the  famous  traveler.  He  met  on 
his  pilgrimage  to  Medina  a  learned  Mohammedan  from  In- 
dia, Ghulam  Mohammed  by  name.  "  He  told  me,"  the 
traveler  narrates,  "  that  in  the  countries  of  India  many  peo- 
ple possess  Mohammed's  hair,  many  have  but  a  single  hair, 
but  others  own  more,  up  to  twenty.  These  relics  are  shown 
to  all  those  who  would  inspect  them  reverently.  This  Ghu- 
lam Mohammed  tells  me  -that  one  of  the  saintly  men  of  the 
lands  of  India  annually  exhibits  such  relics  on  the  ninth  day 
of  Rabi-ul-Aval,  that  on  those  occasions  many  people  gather 
round  him,  learned  and  pious,  perform  prayers  to  the 
Prophet  and  go  through  divine  service  and  mystic  practices. 
He  further  informs  me  that  the  hairs  at  times  move  of  their 
own  accord,  and  that  they  grow  in  length  and  increase  in 
number,  so  that  a  single  hair  is  the  propagator  of  a  number 
of  new  ones."  "  All  this,"  comments  our  traveler,  "  is  no 
wonder,  for  the  blessed  apostle  of  God  has  a  prolonged  di- 
vine existence  which  is  manifested  in  all  his  noble  limbs  and 
physical  components.  An  historian  relates  that  Prince  Nur- 
ud-Din  possessed  a  few  of  the  Prophets' s  hairs  in  his  treas- 
ury, and  when  he  neared  his  dissolution  he  directed  in  his 
testament  that  the  holy  relics  be  deposited  on  his  eyes,  and 
there  they  remain  in  his  grave  to  this  day.  He  (the  his- 
torian cited)  goes  on  to  inform  us  that  every  one  who  visits 
the  mausoleum  of  the  prince  combines  with  the  intention  of 
visiting  the  ruler's  tomb  the  hope  that  the  magical  relics  pre- 
served therein  would  produce  their  blissful  effect.     The  tomb 


76      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

could  be  seen  in  the  academy  at  Damascus  built  by  the 
prince."  12 

The  statements  made  in  books  of  Moslem  law  leave  no 
doubt  that  hair  is  considered  sacred  and  may  not  therefore 
be  sold  or  in  any  way  dishonored.  We  read  in  the  Hedaya,lz 
a  great  commentary  on  Moslem  law, — "  The  sale  of  human 
hair  is  unlawful,  in  the  same  manner  as  is  the  use  of  it, 
because,  being  a  part  of  the  human  body,  it  is  necessary  to 
preserve  it  from  the  disgrace  to  which  an  exposure  of  it  to 
sale  necessarily  subjects  it.  It  is  moreover  recorded,  in  the 
Hadith  Sharif,  that  '  God  denounced  a  curse  upon  a  Wasila 
and  a  Mustawasila/  (The  first  of  these  is  a  woman  whose 
employment  it  is  to  unite  the  shorn  hair  of  one  woman  to  the 
head  of  another,  to  make  her  hair  appear  long;  and  the 
second  means  the  woman  to  whose  head  such  hair  is  united). 
Besides,  as  it  has  been  allowed  to  women  to  increase  their 
locks  by  means  of  the  wool  of  a  camel,  it  may  thence  be  in- 
ferred that  the  use  of  human  hair  is  unlawful." 

"  In  Tunis/'  writes  Mr.  E.  E.  Short,  "  nail  parings  are  bur- 
ied; hair  trimmings  the  same  or  burnt.  If  the  latter  are 
carried  away  by  the  wind  the  person  will  suffer  from  giddi- 
ness of  the  head.  One  informant  gave  Friday  as  the  day  for 
trimming  the  hair  and  nails,  another  Saturday.  The  reason 
for  the  practice  seems  to  be  that  the  parings  might  be  found 
again  and  then  when  questioned  one  could  answer  that  they 
had  been  properly  buried.  (Does  not  this  point  to  a  very 
materialistic  conception  of  the  resurrection  body?)" 

In  Algeria  it  is  believed  that  if  nail  trimmings  are  thrown 
on  the  ground  Satan  makes  use  of  them ;  if  trodden  on,  their 
late  owner  might  become  very  ill,  and  it  is  unlucky  if  water 
is  poured  on  them.  They  are  used  in  magic  and  if  mixed 
with  food  cause  illness  or  death. 

12  «  The  Moslem  World,"  Vol.  I,  p.  306. 
is  Hamilton's  "  Hedaya,"  Vol.  II,  p.  439. 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      77 

In  Cape  Town  the  same  superstitions  prevail  among  Indian 
Moslems  with  regard  to  hair  and  nail  trimmings." 

In  Persia  the  hair  and  nail  trimmings  are  sometimes  pre- 
served in  bottles  as  part  of  the  body,  which  will  be  needed 
by  it  at  the  resurrection.  This  was  the  practice  of  an  old 
gatekeeper  on  the  missionary  premises  at  Urumia;  the  mis- 
chievous missionary's  son  took  pleasure  in  hunting  for  his 
treasure  and  carrying  it  off,  then  witnessing  his  subsequent 
anger  and  grief.14 

"  When  a  girl  reaches  what  the  Achenese  regard  as  a 
marriageable  age  without  having  yet  had  a  suitor  for  her 
hand,  it  is  believed  that  there  must  be  some  supernatural 
agency  at  work.  It  is  looked  upon  as  certain  that  she  must 
have  in  some  part  of  her  body  something  malang  or  unpro- 
pitious,  which  stands  in  the  way  of  her  success. 

"  The  numerical  value  of  the  initial  letter  of  her  name  is 
assumed  as  the  basis  of  a  calculation  for  indicating  the  part 
of  her  body  which  is  to  blame.  When  this  has  been  ascer- 
tained, the  girl  is  placed  on  a  heap  of  husked  rice  (breuch) 
and  the  spot  indicated  is  slightly  pricked  with  a  golden  needle, 
so  as  to  draw  a  little  blood.  This  blood  is  gathered  up  by 
means  of  a  wad  of  tree  cotton  (gapeueh)  which  is  then 
placed  in  an  egg,  part  of  the  contents  of  which  have  been 
removed  to  make  room  for  it.  A  little  of  the  girl's  hair  and 
some  parings  of  her  nails  are  enclosed  in  a  young  cocoanut 
leaf,  and  finally  all  these  things  are  thrown  into  the  run- 
ning water  of  the  nearest  river  or  stream."  15 

In  Java  nails  may  not  be  cut  on  Fridays  and  never  after 
dark.  They  are  always  wrapped  up  and  buried  and  the  fol- 
lowing words  repeated,  "  Abide  here  until  I  die  and  when  I 
die  follow  me."  Hair  clippings  must  be  put  in  a  cool  spot 
or  the   person   will   suffer.     They  must  never   be  burned. 

I*  Letter  from  Miss  S.  Y.  Holliday  of  Tabriz. 
15  "  The  Achenese,"  p.  296. 


78     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Others  say  they  must  always  be  put  into  the  river  or  flowing 
water.  If  left  to  fly  about  they  will  make  the  pathway  to 
heaven  difficult.  A  special  order  is  observed  in  trimming  the 
finger-nails.16 

Among  the  Malays  special  exposure  to  danger  is  believed 
to  occur  whenever  portions  of  a  man  —  such  as  the  hair  or 
the  nails  —  are  severed  from  the  parent  body,  the  theory  be- 
ing that  injury  to  such  discarded  portions  may  in  some  way 
be  used  to  affect  the  living  body  itself.  A  Malay  husband, 
if  he  found  his  wife  treasuring  up  a  lock  of  his  hair,  would 
regard  her  conduct  with  extreme  suspicion.17 

Sometimes  by  the  use  of  a  waxen  or  other  image,  or  by  the 
exhibition  of  a  "  sample  "  such  as  the  parings  of  a  man's 
nails  or  the  clippings  of  his  hair,  the  wizard  conveys  to  the 
world  of  ghosts  a  knowledge  of  the  person  he  wishes  them  to 
attack  —  and  the  ghosts  are  ever  ready  to  profit  by  the  hint 
so  kindly  given.18 

That  all  this  is  really  a  piece  of  heathenism  is  clear  to  the 
student  of  comparative  religion. 

In  Africa  also  the  witch  doctor  or  oganga  makes  special 
use  of  hair,  teeth,  nails,  etc.,  just  as  in  Islam.  Nassau 
writes : 19  "  If  it  be  desired  to  obtain  power  over  some  one 
else,  the  oganga  must  be  given  by  the  applicant,  to  be  mixed 
in  the  sacred  compound,  either  crumbs  from  the  food,  or 
clippings  of  finger-nails  or  hair,  or  (most  powerful!)  even  a 
drop  of  blood  of  the  person  over  whom  influence  is  sought. 
These  represent  the  life  or  body  of  that  person.     So  fearful 

16  Dr.  B.  J.  Esser,  Poerbolinggo,  Java,  in  a  letter. 

17  "  Malay  Beliefs,"  p.  53. 

i8  Regarding  the  hair  of  Mohammed,  a  legend  is  told  among  the 
Malays  that  on  his  journey  to  heaven  on  the  monster  Al-burak,  they 
cleft  the  moon  and  when  Mohammed  was  shaved  by  Gabriel  the  houria 
of  heaven  fought  for  the  falling  locks  so  that  not  a  single  hair  was  al- 
lowed to  reach  the  ground.     "  Malay  Beliefs,"  p.  43. 

is  "Fetishism  in  West  Africa,"  p.  83.     "Malay  Beliefs,"  p.  72. 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      79 

are  natives  of  power  being  thus  obtained  over  them,  that  they 
have  their  hair  cut  only  by  a  friend ;  and  even  then  they  care- 
fully burn  it  or  cast  into  a  river.  If  one  accidentally  cuts 
himself,  he  stamps  out  what  blood  has  dropped  on  the  ground, 
or  cuts  out  from  wood  the  part  saturated  with  blood." 

Superstitions  in  regard  to  finger-nails  are  common  through- 
out the  whole  world  and  are  undoubtedly  animistic  in  their 
origin.  Dresslar  mentions  a  number  as  current  in  Christen- 
dom :  20 

"  Cut  your  nails  on  Monday,  cut  them  for  health; 
Cut  them  on  Tuesday,  cut  them  for  wealth ; 
Cut  them  on  Wednesday,  cut  them  for  news; 
Cut  them  on  Thursday,  a  pair  of  new  shoes; 
Cut  them  on  Friday,  cut  them  for  woe; 
Cut  them  on  Saturday,  a  journey  to  go; 
Cut  them  on  Sunday,  you  cut  them  for  evil 
And  all  the  week  you'll  be  ruled  by  the  devil." 

We  are  not  surprised  therefore,  to  find  in  Islam  so  many 
superstitions  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  paring  of 
the  nails,  some  of  which  doubtless  came  through  Judaism, 
others  directly  from  Arab  paganism.  According  to  the 
Haggadah,21  "  every  pious  Jew  must  purify  himself  and 
honor  the  coming  holy  day  by  trimming  and  cleaning  the 
nails  beforehand.  The  Rabbis  are  not  agreed  as  to  when 
they  should  be  pared;  some  prefer  Thursday,  for  if  cut  on 
Friday  they  begin  to  grow  on  the  Sabbath;  others  prefer 
Friday,  as  it  will  then  appear  that  it  is  done  in  honor  of  the 
Sabbath.  It  has,  however,  become  the  practice  to  cut  them 
on  Friday  and  certain  poslcim  even  prohibit  the  paring  of  the 
nails  on  Thursday."  Moslems  also  have  special  days  for  this 
purpose.  The  Jews  believe  that  the  parings  should  not  be 
thrown  away.     The  Rabbis  declare  that  he  who  burns  them 

20 "  Superstition  and  Education,"  p.  72. 
21 "  Jewish  Encyclopedia,"  Art.  Nails. 


80     THE  INFLUENCE  OP  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

is  a  pious  man  (Hasid),  he  who  buries  them  is  a  righteous 
one  (zaddik),  and  he  who  throws  them  away  is  a  wicked  one. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  if  a  pregnant  woman  steps  on 
them  the  impurity  attached  to  them  will  cause  a  premature 
birth.22 

In  the  order  of  cutting  the  nails  the  Jews  have  borrowed 
from  the  Zoroastrians  while  the  Mohammedans  seem  to  have 
borrowed  from  the  Jews.  According  to  Mohammed  the  order 
of  procedure  is  remembered  by  the  word  Khaivabis  which 
indicates  the  initials  of  the  names  of  the  five  fingers  of  the 
hand.  Eirst  one  is  to  attend  to  the  Khansar  (little  finger), 
then  the  Wasti  (middle  finger),  then  the  Abham  (thumb), 
then  the  Binsar  (ring  finger),  and  last  of  all  to  the  Sababa 
(index  finger).  The  Sababa  means  the  "  finger  of  cursing  " 
—  derived  from  the  root  sabba  —  to  curse.  Moslems  gener- 
ally follow  this  practice  without  knowing  the  reason  of  what 
they  do.  The  cuttings  of  the  finger-nails  are  never  thrown 
away  but  are  either  wrapped  in  a  paper,  buried  under  the 
dc?or-mat  or  carefully  put  into  a  chink  of  the  wall.  Similar 
superstitions  exist  among  the  animistic  tribes  of  the  South 
Seas.  "  In  Morocco,"  says  Mr.  Haldane,  "  they  begin  at  the 
small  finger  on  the  right  hand,  finishing  with  the  thumb,  and 
then  commencing  with  the  small  finger  on  the  left  hand. 
Some,  however,  hold  that  the  little  and  middle  finger  with  the 
thumb  must  be  clone  first  and  then  the  two  remaining  ones 
afterwards.  Eriday  is  the  best  day  for  this  work.  Nail- 
parings  must  be  carefully  buried.  They  are  not  so  particu- 
lar about  hair  and  beard  trimmings,  but  still  they  ought  to  be 
put  in  some  out-of-the-way  place  where  they  will  not  be  trod 
upon.  Why  these  things  are  so  no  one  can  tell ;  it's  the  cus- 
tom." In  Yemen  the  following  customs  are  observed. 
While  many  Arabs  hold  that  there  is  no  particular  order  of 
paring  the  nails  nor  any  reason  for  keeping  and  burying  the 

2i  "  Jewish  Encyclopedia,"  Art.  Nails. 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      81 

parings,  others  are  very  particular  to  begin  with  the  little 
finger  and  to  collect  every  scrap  of  the  paring  in  a  piece  of 
cloth  or  cotton-wool  and  then  to  bury  the  lot,  saying  that  this 
was  their  prophet's  custom.  Others  who  also  bury  the  par- 
ings say  that  one  ought  always  to  begin  with  the  fore-finger 
of  the  right  hand,  as  it  is  the  most  honorable  of  all  the  digits. 
As  a  rule  the  hair  is  not  buried;  although  in  very  excep- 
tional cases  it  is. 

The  custom  connected  with  hair  cutting  or  shaving  and  the 
trimming  of  the  nails  during  the  pilgrimage  ceremony  at 
Mecca  is  well  know.  As  soon  as  the  pilgrim  assumes  the 
Ihram  or  pilgrim  dress  he  must  abstain  from  cutting  his  hair 
or  nails.  This  command  is  observed  most  scrupulously.  We 
read  in  a  celebrated  book  of  law  23  that  "  The  expiatory  fine  of 
three  modd  of  foodstuffs  is  only  incurred  in  full  when  at  least 
three  hairs  or  three  nails  have  been  cut ;  one  modd  only  being 
due  for  a  single  hair  or  a  single  nail,  and  two  modd  for  two 
hairs  or  two  nails.  A  person  who  is  unable  to  observe  this 
abstinence,  should  have  his  whole  beard  shaved  and  pay  the 
expiatory  fine."  When  the  pilgrimage  is  terminated  and  the 
ceremony  completed,  the  head  is  shaved,  the  nails  are  cut  and 
the  following  prayer  is  offered :  "  I  purpose  loosening  my 
Ihram  according  to  the  Practice  of  the  Prophet,  Whom  may 
Allah  bless  and  preserve  !  O  Allah,  make  unto  me  every  hair, 
a  Light,  a  Purity,  and  a  generous  Reward !  In  the  name  of 
Allah,  and  Allah  is  Almighty !  "  After  this  prayer  strict 
Moslems  carefully  bury  their  hair  and  nail-trimmings  in 
sacred  soil.24 

We  pass  on  to  superstitions  connected  with  the  human 
hand.     Mr.  Eugene  Lefebure  writes :  25     "  There  never  was 

23  Minhaj  et  Talibin  Nawawi,  p.  120. 

24  Burton's  "  Pilgrimage,"  Vol.  II,  p.  205. 

25 "  Bulletin  de  la  Societe"  de  Geographie  d'Alger  et  de  l'Airique 
du  Nord,"  1907,  No.  4. 


82     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

a  country  where  the  representation  of  the  human  hand  has  not 
served  as  an  amulet.  In  Egypt  as  in  Ireland,  with  the 
Hebrews  as  with  the  Etruscans,  they  attribute  to  this  figure  a 
mysterious  power."  Our  illustrations  show  different  forms 
of  this  superstition.  The  use  of  the  hand  in  this  connection 
is  very  ancient,  perhaps  it  has  some  connection  with  the  lay- 
ing on  of  hands.  The  laying  of  hands  on  the  head  as  a  sign 
of  dedication  is  found  in  the  Bible,  where  one  gives  up  one's 
own  right  to  something  and  transfers  it  to  God.  (Ex. 
XXIX :  15,  19  ;  II.  Chron.  XXIX :  23.)  Again,  the  hands 
are  placed  on  the  head  of  the  animal  whose  blood  is  to  be  used 
for  the  consecration  of  priests  or  for  the  atonement  of  the  sins 
of  the  people.  The  same  ceremony  was  used  in  transferring 
the  sins  of  the  people  to  the  scapegoat  and  with  all  burnt 
offerings  except  the  sin-offerings.  The  laying  of  hands  on 
the  head  of  a  blasphemer  should  also  be  noted  here.  Jacoty 
on  his  death-bed,  placed  his  right  hand  on  the  head  of 
Ephraim.  The  Levites  were  consecrated  through  the  laying 
on  of  hands  by  the  heads  of  the  tribes.  The  time-honored 
prototype  of  ordination  through  laying  on  of  hands  is  the 
consecration  of  Joshua  as  successor  to  Moses.  This  rite  is 
found  in  the  New  Testament  and  in  the  Talmud  and  was 
observed  at  the  appointment  of  members  of  the  Sanhedrin. 
It  was  gradually  discontinued  in  practice,  however,  although 
it  was  preserved  nominally.  Islam  makes  a  religious  and 
ritual  distinction  between  the  right  and  left  hand.  Many 
dark  and  uncanny  interpretations  and  suggestions  are  con- 
nected with  matters  referring  to  the  left  side  of  the  body,  the 
left  hand,  the  left  foot,  etc.  These  go  back  to  great  antiquity 
and  are  well-nigh  universal.  In  Islam  the  left  hand  is  never 
used  for  eating;  Tradition  tells  us  that  the  devil  eats  with 
the  left  hand ;  the  Moslem  must  never  spit  to  the  right  or  in 
front  of  him  but  to  the  left.     Whether  the  origin  of  this 


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HAIK,  FINGEK-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      83 

■v. 

superstition  is  due  to  physical  causes  or  to  ritual  practice, 
such  as  ablution,  cannot  be  easily  decided.26 

In  Judaism  a  priest's  hands,  represented  as  in  benediction, 
on  a  tombstone  indicate  that  the  deceased  was  descended  from 
the  family  of  Aaron ;  on  the  title-page  of  a  book  they  indicate 
that  the  printer  was  descended  from  the  family  of  Aaron. 
The  hand  is  also  represented  on  the  walls  of  synagogues  and 
on  mirrors.  A  hand  is  generally  used  as  a  pointer  for  the 
Torah.  A  hand  with  two  ears  of  grain  and  two  poppy- 
heads  is  seen  on  coins.  Two  hands  joined  together  are  often 
represented  on  "  ketubah '  blanks  and  on  the  so-called 
"  siflones-tefillah ' '  there  is  a  hand  hewing  a  tree  or  mowing 
down  flowers.  A  hand  either  inscribed  or  cast  in  metal,  was 
often  used  as  an  amulet. 

26  Dresslar  remarks  concerning  similar  beliefs  in  the  United  States, 
"  Experiments  upon  school  children  show  that  there  is  more  disparity 
between  the  right  and  left  sides  of  the  body  of  the  brighter  pupils  than 
there  is  between  the  right  and  left  of  the  duller  ones.  Doubtless  this 
same  augmented  difference  holds  throughout  life,  or  at  least  to  the  pe- 
riod of  senescence.  It  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  result  of 
specialization  which  increases  as  growing  thought-life  calls  upon  the 
right  members  of  the  body  for  finer  adjustment  and  more  varied  and 
perfect  execution.  Hence,  the  right  members  become  more  the  special 
organs  of  the  will  than  the  left,  induce  a  greater  proportion  of  emo- 
tional reaction,  and  altogether  become  more  closely  bound  up  with  the 
mental  life.  That  this  specialization  gives  an  advantage  in  accuracy, 
strength,  control,  and  endurance  of  the  right  side  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  But  it  seems  equally  certain  that  it  introduces  mental  par- 
tialities not  at  all  times  consistent  with  well-balanced  judgment,  or 
the  most  trustworthy  emotional  promptings.  Indeed  this  difference 
is  recorded  in  the  meaning  and  use  of  the  two  words,  dextrous  and 
sinister.  The  thought  that  relates  itself  to  the  stronger  side  is  more 
rational  than  that  which  deals  with  the  weaker  and  less  easily  con- 
trolled half. 

"  In  addition  to  this  fundamental  basis  for   psychic   differentiation 
with  respect  to  the  left  and  right,  it  is  probable  that  the  beating  of 
the  heart,  strange  and  wonderful  to  the  primitive  mind,  had  some  in- 
fluence in   connecting  the   left   side   with   the   awful   and  mysterious." 
("Superstition  and  Education,"  pp.  206-207.) 


84     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

We  now  turn  to  Moslem  superstitions  of  this  character. 
A  missionary  in  Morocco  writes :  "  Of  all  the  talismans  by 
which  Moorish  women  ward  off  the  evil  eye  with  all  its 
danger,  none  possesses  so  much  magic  power  as  a  silver  orna- 
ment worn  on  the  breast  and  called  Khoumsa.  Its  virtue  lies 
in  its  five  points,  that  number,  in  whatever  form  presented, 
being  the  most  potent  of  protective  agencies.  In  Moorish 
folk-beliefs  it  means  the  dispersion  to  the  four  corners  of  the 
earth,  of  any  malign  influence  which  has  been  directed  against 
the  life  of  the  wearer."  In  Palestine  this  goes  by  the  name 
of  Kef  Miry  am;  in  Algeria  the  Moslems  very  appropriately 
named  these  talismans  La  Main  de  Fatima,  and  from  this 
source  another  superstition  has  been  developed:  the  mystic 
virtue  of  the  number  five,  because  of  the  five  fingers  of  the 
hand  or  its  sinister  power.  27 

"  The  hand  of  Fatima,"  says  Tremearne,28  "  is  a  great 
favorite  in  Tunis,  and  one  sees  it  above  the  great  majorities 
of  doorways ;  in  Tripoli  there  is  hardly  one,  and  this  is  only 
to  be  expected,  since  the  sign  is  an  old  Carthaginian  one, 
representing  not  the  hand  of  Fatima  at  all,  but  that  of  Tanith. 
It  has  been  thought,  however,  that  the  amulet  is  so  curiously 
similar  to  the  thunderbolt  of  Adad,  worn  in  the  necklet  of  the 
Assyrian  kings  along  with  emblems  for  the  sun,  the  moon, 
and  Venus,  that  it  may  be  a  survival  of  that."  28 

The  hand  is  often  painted  upon  the  drum  used  in  the  bori 
(devil)  dances  in  Tunis.  It  is  held  up,  fingers  outstretched 
and  pointing  towards  the  evil-wisher,  and  this,  in  Egypt, 
North  Africa  and  Nigeria,  has  now  become  a  gesture  of 
abuse.  In  Egypt  the  outstretched  hand  pointed  at  some  one 
is  used  to  invoke  a  curse.  They  say  yuhhammisuna,  or  "  He 
throws  his  five  at  us,"  i.e.  he  curses.     Not  only  the  hand  but 

27  Mr.  Lefebure  in  his  short  work,  "  La  Main  de  Fatima,"  has  gath- 
ered all  that  is  known  on  the  subject. 

28  «  The  Ban  of  the  Bori,"  p.  174. 


HAIR,  FINGER-NAILS  AND  THE  HAND      85 

the  forefinger  is  used  for  this  purpose.  It  is  therefore  called, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  Sababa.  Goldziher  gives  many  examples 
of  how  the  fore-finger  was  used  in  magical  ways  long  before 
its  present  use  in  testifying  to  God's  unity.  A  controversy 
arose  in  Islam  very  early  about  the  raising  of  the  hands  in 
prayer.  It  is  regarding  the  position  of  the  hands  that  the 
four  sects  have  special  teaching  and  can  be  distinguished. 
Perhaps  this  also  indicates  a  magical  use  of  the  hand.  In 
Egypt  the  hand  is  generally  used  as  an  amulet  against  the 
evil  eye.  It  is  made  of  silver  or  gold  in  jewelry,  or  made 
of  tin  in  natural  size,  and  is  then  suspended  over  the  door  of 
a  house.  The  top  of  a  Moslem  banner  is  often  of  this  shape. 
It  is  used  on  the  harness  of  horses,  mules,  etc.,  and  on  every 
cart  used  in  Alexandria  we  see  either  a  brass  hand  or  one 
painted  in  various  colors.  The  following  points  are  to  be 
noted.  It  is  unlucky  to  count  five  on  the  fingers.  All 
Egyptians  of  the  Delta  when  they  count  say :  "  One,  two, 
three,  four,  in-the-eye-of-your-enemy."  Children,  when  at 
play,  show  their  displeasure  with  each  other  by  touching  the 
little  finger  of  their  two  hands  together,  which  signifies  sepa- 
ration, enmity,  hatred.  The  same  sign  is  used  by  grown-up 
people  also  to  close  a  discussion. 

The  origin  of  the  stretching  out  of  the  hand  with  the  palm 
exposed  toward  the  person  was  explained  by  my  sheikh  in  this 
way :  Tradition  says  that  at  one  time  a  woman  who  saw 
Mohammed  became  very  much  enamored  with  his  handsome 
presence,  and  Mohammed  fearing  she  would  work  some  power 
over  him,  raised  his  hand  (said  to  be  the  right  one)  and 
stretched  it  out  to  one  side  in  front  of  him  with  the  palm 
exposed  toward  the  woman,  and  at  the  same  time  he  repeated 
Sura  113.  When  he  did  this  the  covetous  glance  passed  be- 
tween his  two  fingers  and  struck  a  nail  in  a  tree  near  by  and 
broke  it  in  pieces  ! 

Finally  we  may  add  the  curious  custom  also  common  in 


86     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Egypt,  of  dipping  the  hand  in  the  blood  of  a  sacrifice  and 
leaving  its  mark  upon  doors,  foundations  of  buildings,  ani- 
mals, etc.,  in  order  to  consecrate  them  or  protect  them  from 
evil  influences.  In  the  next  chapter  on  the  'Aqiqa  sacrifice 
we  will  refer  to  the  prevalence  of  blood  sacrifice  in  early 
Islam,  and  its  significance.  The  practice  of  dipping  the 
hand  in  blood  and  putting  marks  on  the  door-post  may  go 
back  to  the  story  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  but  the  present  use  of 
the  hand  in  this  way  is  mixed  with  all  manner  of  supersti- 
tion. Who  can  unravel  the  threads  in  the  tangled  skein  of 
Moslem  beliefs  and  practices  ?  There  is  much  Judaism,  as 
Rabbi  Geiger  has  shown;  more  perhaps  even  of  Christian 
ideas  prevalent  in  Arabia  at  the  time  of  the  Prophet;  but 
most  of  all  Islam  in  its  popular  forms  is  full  of  animism  and 
of  practices  which  can  only  be  described  as  pagan  in  origin 
and  in  tendency. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    '  AQIQA    SACRIFICE 

Among  the  many  points  of  contact  between  Christianity 
and  Islam  (and  the  points  of  departure,  from  which  the 
faithful  missionary  can  launch  out  into  the  very  heart  of 
the  Gospel  message),  there  is  one  which  has  not  received  the 
emphasis  it  deserves.  We  refer  to  the  ' 'Aqiqa  ceremony,  ob- 
served by  every  Moslem  household  throughout  most  Moslem 
lands  after  the  birth  of  a  child,  and  concerning  which  the 
Traditions  are  so  full.  According  to  Moslem  religious  law, 
the  expiatory  sacrifice  is  made  on  the  seventh  day ;  it  is  com- 
mendable on  that  occasion  to  give  the  child  its  name,  shave 
off  the  hair  on  its  head,  make  an  offering  to  the  poor,  and  kill 
a  victim.  According  to  some  authorities,  if  the  offering  of 
the  'Aqiqa  has  been  neglected  on  the  seventh  day  by  the 
parents,  it  can  be  done  afterwards  by  the  child  himself  when 
he  has  become  of  age. 

The  root  of  the  word  'aqiqa  is  'aqqa,  he  clave,  split,  rent. 
It  is  used  especially  in  regard  to  the  cutting  off  of  an  amulet 
when  the  boy  becomes  of  age.  It  is  also  used  in  the  expres- 
sion " 'Aqqa  hi  sahmi  '  (He  shot  the  arrow  towards  the  sky), 
or  of  the  sacrifice  of  'Aqiqa  (He  sacrificed  for  his  new-born 
child).  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  use  of  this  word  in 
every  connection  seems  to  have  reference  to  expiation  or  re- 
demption. According  to  Lane  the  arrow  as  well  as  the 
sacrifice  was  called  'aqiqa:  "  and  it  was  the  arrow  of  self- 
excuse  :  they  used  to  do  thus  in  the  Time  of  Ignorance  (on  the 
occasion  of  a  demand  for  blood-revenge)  ;  and  if  the  arrow 

i Lane's  "Arabic-English  Lexicon,"  Vol.  V. 

87 


88      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

returned  smeared  with  blood,  they  were  not  content  save  with 
the  retaliation  of  slaughter;  but  if  it  returned  clean,  they 
stroked  their  beards,  and  made  reconciliation  on  the  condition 
of  the  blood-wit;  the  stroking  of  the  beards  being  a  sign  of 
reconciliation ;  the  arrow,  however,  as  Ibn-ul-'Arabi  says,  did 
not  return  otherwise  than  clean.  The  origin  was  this :  a  man 
of  the  tribe  was  slain,  and  the  slayer  was  prosecuted  for  his 
blood ;  whereupon  a  company  of  the  chief  men  collected  them- 
selves together  to  the  heirs  of  the  slain,  and  offered  the  blood- 
wit,  asking  forgiveness  for  the  blood ;  and  if  the  heir  was  a 
strong  man,  impatient  of  injury,  he  refused  to  take  the  blood- 
wit  ;  but  if  weak,  he  consulted  the  people  of  his  tribe,  and  then 
said  to  the  petitioners,  '  We  have,  between  us  and  our  Creator, 
a  sign  denoting  command  and  prohibition :  we  take  an  arrow, 
and  set  it  on  a  bow,  and  shoot  it  towards  the  sky ;  and  if  it 
return  to  us  smeared  with  blood,  we  are  forbidden  to  take  the 
blood-wit,  and  are  not  content  save  with  the  retaliation  of 
slaughter ;  but  if  it  return  clean,  as  it  went  up,  we  are  com- 
manded to  take  the  blood-wit ' :  so  they  made  reconciliation." 

The  word  'aqiqa  in  Moslem  literature,  however,  no  longer 
refers  to  the  ceremony  of  the  arrow,  which  belongs  to  the 
Time  of  Ignorance.  'Aqiqa  in  Tradition  signifies:  either 
the  hair  of  the  young  one  recently  born,  "  that  comes  forth 
upon  his  head  in  his  mother's  womb,"  some  say  of  human 
beings  only  and  others  of  beasts  likewise;  or  the  sheep  or 
goat  that  is  slaughtered  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  recently  born 
infant  "  on  the  occasion  of  the  shaving  of  the  infant's  hair  on 
the  seventh  day  after  his  birth,  and  of  which  the  limbs  are 
divided  and  cooked  with  water  and  salt  and  given  as  food  to 
the  poor."  Al  Zamakhshari  "  holds  it  to  be  thus  called  from 
the  same  word  as  applied  to  the  hair;  but  it  is  said  to  be 
so-called  because  it  is  slaughtered  by  cutting  the  windpipe  and 
gullet  and  the  two  external  jugular  veins." 

The  'Aqiqa  sacrifice  is  referred  to  in  nearly  all  the  stan- 


THE  'AQIQA  SACKIFICE  89 

dard  collections  of  Traditions,  generally  under  Bab-al-Nikah. 
In  books  of  Fihli,  it  is  mentioned  under  the  head  of 
"  sacrifice  "  and  "  offerings."  The  most  detailed  account  of 
AVAqiqa  I  have  found  in  the  celebrated  book  on  Fihh,  by 
Ibn  Eushd  el  Kartabi.  He  treats  this  subject  under  six 
heads:  (1)  On  whom  it  is  incumbent;  (2)  Where;  (3) 
For  whom  it  should  be  offered  and  how  many  offerings  should 
be  made;  (4)  The  time  of  the  ceremony;  (5)  Its  manner; 
(6)   What  is  done  with  the  flesh. 

"  Now  in  regard  on  whom  it  is  incumbent  one  of  the  sects, 
namely  the  literalists,  say  that  it  is  necessary  in  every  case, 
but  most  of  them  say  it  is  only  following  the  custom  of  the 
Prophet  {sunna),  and  Abu  Hanifa  says  it  is  not  incumbent 
and  not  sunna.  But  most  of  them  are  agreed  that  he  means 
by  this  that  it  is  optional.  And  the  reason  for  their  dis- 
agreement is  the  apparent  contradiction  of  two  traditions, 
namely,  that  a  tradition  of  Samra  concerning  the  Prophet 
reads,  '  Every  male  child  shall  be  redeemed  by  his  'aqiqa, 
which  is  to  be  sacrificed  for  him  on  his  seventh  dav,  and  so 
evil  shall  be  removed  from  him.'  This  tradition  would  in- 
dicate that  the  sacrifice  was  incumbent:  but  there  is  the  evi- 
dent meaning  of  another  tradition  which  reads  as  follows: 
1  When  Mohammed  was  asked  concerning  Al  'Aqiqa  he  said, 
"I  do  not  love  Al  'Aquq  (ungrateful  treatment),  but  to 
whomsoever  a  child  is  born  let  him  make  the  ceremonv  for 
his  child."  This  tradition  infers  that  the  custom  is  praise- 
worthy or  allowable,  and  those  who  understand  from  it  that 
it  is  praiseworthy  say  that  the  'Aqiqa  is  sunna,  and  those  who 
understand  from  it  that  it  is  allowed  say  it  is  neither  sunna 
nor  incumbent.  But  those  who  follow  the  tradition  of  Samra 
say  it  is  incumbent.  In  regard  to  the  character  of  the  sacri- 
fice, all  the  learned  are  agreed  that  everything  that  is  per- 
mitted in  this  respect  for  the  annual  sacrifice  is  permitted  in 
the  case  of  the  'Aqiqa  from  the  eight  classes  of  animals,  male 


90     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

and  female.  Malik,  however,  prefers  the  ewe  as  a  sacrifice 
in  his  sect,  and  he  disagrees  whether  the  camel  or  the  cow  is 
sufficient.  The  rest  of  the  authorities  on  Filch  say  that  the 
camel  is  better  than  the  cow  and  that  the  goat  is  better  than 
the  sheep.  And  the  reason  for  their  disagreement  is  again 
due  to  the  discrepancy  of  Tradition.  For  the  Traditions  of 
Ibn  Abbas  say  that  the  Prophet  of  God  performed  the  'Aqiqa 
ceremony  for  Hassan  and  Hussain  by  a  ram  for  each.  An- 
other saying  of  his  is,  l  For  a  girl  a  ewe  and  for  a  boy  two 
ewes,  according  to  Abu  Dawud.' 

"  In  regard  to  the  one  for  whom  the  ceremony  is  performed, 
the  majority  of  them  are  agreed  that  the  'Aqiqa  should  be 
performed  for  the  male  and  the  female  in  infancy  only. 
The  exception  to  this  is  Al  Hassan,  who  says  no  'Aqiqa  shall 
be  given  for  the  girl,  and  some  of  them  allow  the  'Aqiqa  to  be 
performed  for  adults.  And  the  proof  with  the  majority  of 
the  authorities  that  it  is  limited  to  infants  is  the  saying  of 
Mohammed  '  on  his  seventh  day,'  and  the  proof  of  those  who 
disagree  is  the  tradition  related  by  Anas,  that  the  Prophet 
performed  the  ceremony  of  'Aqiqa  for  himself  when  he  was 
called  to  be  a  prophet.  ('Aqqa  'an  nafsihi  ba'adma  bu'atha 
b'n  nabuwa.)  Proof  that  it  is  allowed  for  girls  is  his  saying, 
'  for  a  maiden  one  ewe  and  for  a  boy  two.'  On  the  other 
hand,  the  proof  that  it  should  be  limited  to  the  male  infants 
is  his  saying,  '  Every  boy  child  is  under  obligation  to  have  his 
'Aqiqa.  But  as  regards  the  number  of  victims  the  learned 
are  also  disagreed.  Es  Shafi,  however,  says,  and  with  him 
agree  Abu  Thaur  and  Dawud  and  Ahmad,  l  The  'Aqiqa  of 
the  girl  to  be  one  ewe  and  of  the  boy  two.'  And  the  cause  of 
their  disagreement  is  the  disagreement  of  Tradition.  For 
we  have  a  tradition  of  Um  Karz  related  by  Abu  Dawud,  that 
the  Prophet  said  in  the  'Aqiqa  the  boy  shall  have  two  similar 
ewes  and  the  girl  one.  And  this  undoubtedly  means  that 
there  shall  be  a  difference  in  the  number  of  victims  in  the 


THE  'AQIQA  SACRIFICE  91 

case  of  the  boy  or  the  girl.  The  other  tradition,  however, 
that  Mohammed  himself  performed  the  ceremony  for  Hassan 
and  Hussain  with  one  ram  each,  compels  a  different  inter- 
pretation. 

"  As  regards  the  time  of  this  ceremony,  the  majority  are 
agreed  that  it  shall  be  on  the  seventh  day  after  birth.  Malik 
does  not  count  in  this  number  the  day  on  which  the  child  is 
born,  if  he  is  born  in  the  daytime.  Abd  ul  Malik,  however, 
counts  it  in.  Ibn  al  Kasim  says  if  the  'Aqiqa  is  performed 
at  night-time  the  hair  of  the  sacrifice  shall  not  be  cut  off. 
The  companions  of  Malik  disagree  regarding  the  time  of  the 
cutting  of  the  hair.  It  is  said  to  be  the  usual  time  of  the 
sacrifice,  namely  forenoon.  Others  say  immediately  after 
dawn,  basing  their  statement  upon  what  is  related  by  Malik 
in  his  Hadaya.  And  there  is  no  doubt  that  those  who  permit 
the  annual  sacrifice  at  night  permit  this  sacrifice  also.  It 
is  also  stated  that  the  'Aqiqa  is  permitted  on  the  14th  day 
or  the  21st. 

"  As  regards  the  sunna  of  this  ceremony  and  its  character, 
it  is  like  the  sunna  of  the  annual  sacrifice,  namely,  that  the 
victim  must  be  free  from  blemishes  as  in  that  case,  and  I 
know  no  disagreement  among  the  four  schools  in  this  respect 
whatever. 

"  As  regards  the  flesh  of  the  victim  and  its  skin  and  the 
other  parts,  the  law  is  the  same  as  in  regard  to  the  flesh  of 
the  annual  sacrifice,  both  as  regards  eating,  alms  to  the  poor, 
and  prohibition  of  sale.  All  authorities  are  agreed  that 
generally  the  head  of  the  infant  was  smeared  with  blood  in 
pre-Islamic  times,  and  that  this  custom  was  abrogated  in 
Islam,  basing  it  upon  a  tradition  of  Baridah,  viz.,  '  In  the 
Days  of  Ignorance  when  a  child  was  born  to  any  one  of  us, 
we  sacrificed  a  sheep  for  him  and  smeared  his  head  with  its 
blood.  When  Islam  came,  we  were  accustomed  at  the  time 
of  the  sacrifice  to  shave  the  infant's  head  and  to  smear  it 


92      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

with  saffron.'  Hassan  and  Katadah,  however,  make  excep- 
tion to  this  statement,  and  they  say  that  the  head  of  the 
young  child  shall  be  wiped  with  a  piece  of  cotton  which  has 
been  dipped  in  the  blood,  and  in  the  Days  of  Ignorance  it 
was  thought  commendable  to  break  the  bones  of  the  sacrifice 
and  to  cut  them  from  the  joints.  And  they  disagree  regard- 
ing the  shaving  of  the  head  of  the  new-born  child  on  the 
seventh  and  the  alms  equal  in  weight  to  the  hair  in  silver. 
Some  say  that  it  is  commendable,  others  say  it  is  optional. 
Both  of  these  opinions  are  based  upon  Malik,  and  I  find  the 
custom  that  it  is  commendable  better.  For  it  is  based  upon 
a  saying  of  Ibn  Habib,  according  to  what  is  contained  in  Al 
Muwatta,  viz. :  i  That  Fatima,  the  daughter  of  the  Prophet 
of  God,  shaved  the  hair  of  Hassan  and  Hussain  and  Zainab 
and  Um  Kuthum,  and  then  she  gave  in  alms  the  value  of  the 
weight  in  silver.'  So  far  the  summary  of  the  ceremony  ac- 
cording to  orthodox  Tradition. 

We  turn  from  this  account  of  the  ceremony  as  given  in 
Moslem  books  of  jurisprudence  to  the  present  practice  in 
Moslem  lands.  Herklots  tells  us  that  in  India  "  the  'Aqiqa 
sacrifice  takes  place  on  the  seventh  day,  called  Clihuttee,  or 
on  the  fortieth  day,  called  Chilla,  in  some  cases  on  any  other 
day  that  is  convenient.  It  consists  in  a  sacrifice  to  God,  in 
the  name  of  the  child,  of  two  he-goats,  if  the  new-born  be  a 
boy ;  and  of  one,  if  a  girl.  The  he-goat  requires  to  be  above  a 
year  old,  and  sulieeh-col-zaz  (or  perfect  and  without  a 
blemish)  ;  he  must  not  be  blind  in  one  or  both  eyes,  or  lame, 
and  is  to  be  skinned  so  nicely  that  no  flesh  adhere  to  his 
skin,  and  his  flesh  so  cut  up  that  not  a  bone  be  broken.  It 
being  difficult  to  separate  the  flesh  from  the  smaller  bones, 
they  are  boiled  and  dressed  with  the  flesh  remaining;  while 
in  eating,  the  people  are  enjoined  to  masticate  and  swallow 
the  softer  bones,  and  the  meat  is  carefully  taken  off  the  larger 
ones  without  injuring  the  bone.     The  meat  is  well  boiled, 


THE  'AQIQA  SACKIFICE  93 

in  order  that  it  may  be  more  easily  separated  from  the  bones. 
This  is  served  up  with  manda,  chupatee,  or  rotee.  While 
they  are  offering  it,  an  Arabic  sentence  is  repeated;  the  sig- 
nification of  which  runs  thus :  '  O  Almighty  God.  I  offer 
in  the  stead  of  my  own  offspring,  life  for  life,  blood  for 
blood,  head  for  head,  bone  for  bone,  hair  for  hair,  and  skin 
for  skin.  In  the  name  of  God  do  I  sacrifice  this  he-goat.' 
It  is  meritorious  to  distribute  the  food  to  all  classes  of  people, 
save  to  the  seven  following  individuals,  viz. :  the  person  on 
whose  account  the  offering  is  made,  his  parents,  and  his 
paternal  and  maternal  grandfathers  and  grandmothers;  to 
whom  it  is  unlawful  to  partake  of  it.  The  bones,  boiled  or 
unboiled,  skin,  feet  and  head,  are  buried  in  the  earth,  and 
no  one  is  allowed  to  eat  them." 

The  custom  he  describes  in  such  detail  was  taken  by  him 
verbatim  from  the  lips  of  Jaffur  Shurruf,  a  native  of  the 
Deccan,  who  belonged  to  the  Sunni  or  orthodox  sect.  He  goes 
on  to  tell  us  that  the  shaving  of  the  head,  which  is  called 
Moondun,  takes  place-  on  the  same  day,  or,  in  the  case  of  the 
rich,  the  ceremony  is  performed  some  days  later.  Those  who 
can  afford  it  have  the  child's  head  shaved  with  a  silver- 
mounted  razor  and  use  a  silver  cup  to  contain  the  water,  both 
of  which  after  the  operation  are  given  as  a  present  to  the 
barber.  The  hair  is  weighed,  and  its  weight  in  silver  is  dis- 
tributed among  the  religious  mendicants.  The  hair  itself  is 
tied  up  in  a  piece  of  cloth  and  either  buried  in  the  earth  or 
thrown  in  the  water. 

Another  curious  custom  is  thus  described :  "  Those  who 
can  afford  it  have  the  hair  taken  to  the  water-side,  and  there, 
after  they  have  assembled,  musicians  and  the  women,  and 
offered  fateeha  in  the  name  of  Khoaja  Khizur  over  the  hair, 
on  which  they  put  flour,  sugar,  ghee,  and  milk,  the  whole  is 
placed  on  a  raft  or  juliaz  (a  ship),  illuminated  by  lamps,  the 
musicians  singing  and  playing  the  whole  time,  they  launch 


94     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM'  ON  ISLAM 

it  on  the  water.  Some  people  at  the  time  of  moonduyi,  leave 
chooniees  (or  tufts  of  hair  unshaved)  in  the  n'ame  of  par- 
ticular saints,  and  take  great  care  that  nothing  unclean  con- 
taminates them.  A  few,  vowing  in  the  name  of  any  saint, 
do  not  perform  moondun  at  all,  but  allow  the  hair  to  grow 
for  one  or  even  four  or  five  years ;  and  either  at  the  expira- 
tion of  the  appointed  season,  or  a  little  before  or  after,  pro- 
ceed to  the  durgah  (or  shrine)  of  that  saint,  and  there  have 
the  hair  shaved.  Should  it  happen  that  they  are  in  a  distant 
country  at  that  time  and  have  not  the  means  of  repairing  to 
his  shrine,  they  perform  fateeha  in  his  name,  and  have  the 
hair  shaved  at  the  place  where  they  may  happen  to  be.  Such 
hair  is  termed  jumal  chontee,  or  jumal  bat.  This  ceremony 
is,  by  some  men  and  women,  performed  with  great  faith  in 
its  efficacy." 

According  to  Lane,  the  ceremony  of  JAqiqa  was  not  uni- 
versal in  Egypt  in  his  day.  It  has  become  less  common  since. 
Where  it  is  observed,  a  goat  is  sacrificed  at  the  tomb  of  some 
saint  in  or  near  their  village.  The  victim  is  called  'Aqiqa, 
and  is  offered  as  a  ransom  for  the  child  from  hell.  The  gift 
to  the  poor  and  the  shaving  of  the  head  in  all  its  detail  as  in 
Indian  practice,  however,  still  prevails  among  the  villagers. 
The  shaving  of  the  head  has  been  taken  over  by  the  Copts,  and 
is  practiced  by  them  as  well  as  by  the  Moslems.  In  the  case 
of  wealthy  Copts  a  sum  of  money,  equal  in  value  to  the  weight 
of  the  hair  of  the  infant  in  gold,  h'  given  to  the  poor.  In 
Arabia  the  custom  is  common  everywhere. 

According  to  Doughty,  there  is  no  question  in  the  minds  of 
the  Arabs  to-day  as  to  the  significance  of  the  rite  of  sacrifice : 
"  When  a  man  child  is  born,  the  father  will  slay  an  ewe,  but 
the  female  birth  is  welcomed  in  by  no  sacrifice.  Something 
has  been  already  said  of  their  blood-sprinkling  upon  break- 
land,  and  upon  the  foundation  of  new  buildings ;  this  they 
use  also  at  the  opening  or  enlarging  of  new  wells  and  waters. 


THE  'AQIQA  SACRIFICE  95 

Again,  when  their  ghrazzu  riders  return  with  a  booty  (feyd 
or  chessab),  the  women  dance  out  with  singing  to  meet  them; 
and  the  (live)  chessab,2  which  they  say  '  is  sweet/  is  the 
same  evening  smeared  with  the  blood  of  a  victim.  Metaad, 
a  neighbor  of  mine,  sent  me  a  present  of  the  meat  of  a  fat 
goat,  which  he  had  sacrificed  for  the  health  of  a  sick  camel; 
and  '  now/  said  the  Arab,  '  it  would  certainly  begin  to  amend.' 
Rubba,  the  poor  herdsman,  made  a  supper  to  his  friends, 
dividing  to  them  the  flesh  of  a  she-goat,  the  thank-offering 
which  he  had  vowed  in  his  pain  and  sickness.  Swoysh, 
sacrificing  the  year's  mind,  [sic]  for  his  grandsire,  distributed 
the  portions  at  his  tent,  but  we  sat  not  down  to  a  dish.  They 
are  persuaded  that  backwardness  to  sacrifice  should  be  to 
their  hurt.  All  religious  sacrifices  they  call  Jcurban.  I  have 
seen  townsmen  of  Medina  burn  a  little  bakhur,  before  the 
sacrifice,  for  a  pompous  odor,  '  acceptable  to  God/  and  dis- 
posing our  minds  to  religion  —  Where  all  men  are  their  own 
butchers,  perhaps  they  are  (as  the  Arabs)  more  rash-handed 
to  shed  human  blood.  When  they  sacrifice  to  the  jan  they 
sacrifice  to  demons.  If  one  sacrifice  for  health,  the  death 
of  the  ewe  or  the  goat  they  think  to  be  accepted  for  his 
camel's  or  for  his  own  life,  life  for  life." 

In  Morocco  the  ceremony  is  also  well-known.  "  On  the 
morning  of  the  name-day,"  says  Budgett  Meakin,  "  the 
father  or  nearest  male  relative  slaughters  the  sheep,  exclaim- 
ing as  he  cuts  the  throat,  '  In  the  Name  of  the  Mighty  God : 
for  the  naming  of  so-and-so,  son  (or  daughter)  of  so-and-so.' 
Referring  to  the  mother,  who  is  asked  to  give  the  child  a 
name.  In  the  evening  a  feast  is  made  of  the  sheep,  the 
nurse  receiving  as  her  perquisite  the  fleece  and  a  fore-leg, 
with  perhaps  a  present  of  cash  besides,  in  return  for  her 
presence  for  seven  days.  The  mother  sits  in  state  on  a  special 
chair  brought  by  the  nurse." 

2  Doughty  refers  to  animals  such  as  sheep  or  horses  taken  as  booty. 


96      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

In  Sumatra,  we  are  told  "  The  Mohammedan  law  recom- 
mends an  offering  of  two  sheep  or  goats  for  a  male,  and  one 
for  a  female  child,  by  preference  on  the  seventh  day  after 
birth,  but  if  this  be  impossible  then  at  some  later  date,  even 
when  the  child  is  quite  grown  up."  This  sacrifice  is  called 
'aqiqa  and  is  not  only  known  but  is  actually  practiced  in 
Acheh  under  the  name  of  hakikali.  In  Acheh,  no  less  than  in 
other  parts  of  the  E.  Indian  archipelago,  the  people  of 
Mekka  have  done  their  best  to  foster  the  doctrine  that  it  is  an 
extremely  meritorious  act  to  offer  this  sacrifice  for  the  child  in 
the  holy  city.  The  Mekka  folk  thus  of  course  reap  the  profits 
on  the  sale  of  the  goats  and  at  the  same  time  enjoy  their  share 
of  the  meat.  Many  Achenese  are,  however,  aware  that  the 
hahikah  is  more  properly  offered  at  home.  The  choice  of 
some  later  occasion  for  this  sacrifice,  and  not  the  seventh 
day  after  birth  is  also  common  in  Acheh. 

The  ceremony  is  performed  among  the  Malays  as  follows : 
"  A  few  days  later  the  child's  head  is  shaved,  and  his  nails 
cut  for  the  first  time.  For  the  former  process  a  red  lather 
is  manufactured  from  fine  rice-flour  mixed  with  gambier, 
lime,  and  betel-leaf.  Some  people  have  the  child's  head 
shaved  clean,  others  leave  the  central  lock  (jambul).  In 
either  case  the  remains  of  the  red  lather,  together  with  the 
clippings  of  hair  (and  nails  ?)  are  received  in  a  rolled-up 
yam-leaf  (daun  Wladi  diponjut)  or  cocoa-nut  (?)  and  carried 
away  and  deposited  at  the  foot  of  a  shady  tree,  such  as  a 
banana  (or  a  pomegranate?). 

"  Some  times  (as  had  been  done  in  the  case  of  a  Malay 
bride  at  whose  ( tonsure '  I  assisted),  the  parents  make  a 
vow  at  a  child's  birth  that  they  will  give  a  feast  at  the  tonsure 
of  its  hair,  just  before  its  marriage,  provided  the  child  grows 
up  in  safety. 

"  Occasionally  the  ceremony  of  shaving  the  child's  head 
takes  place  on  the  44th  day  after  birth,  the  ceremony  being 


THE  'AQIQA  SACEIFICE  97 

called  balik  juru.  A  small  sum,  such  as  $2.00  or  $3.00,  is 
also  sometimes  presented  to  a  pilgrim  to  carry  clippings  of 
the  child's  locks  to  Mecca  and  cast  them  into  the  well  Zem- 
zem,  such  payment  being  called  'kekali  ('aqiqa)  in  the  case 
of  a  boy  and  kurban  in  the  case  of  a  girl."  3 

The  custom  prevails  also  in  China,  although  so  much  else 
of  the  Moslem  ritual  has  there  been  modified  or  suppressed. 
A  Koranic  name,  called  King-ming,  is  given  to  the  child 
within  seven  days  of  its  birth,  and  a  feast  is  celebrated. 
"  The  rich  are  expected  to  kill  a  sheep,  two  if  the  child  is  a 
male,  and  the  poor  are  to  be  fed  with  the  meat.  In  selecting 
the  name  the  father  has  to  hold  the  child  with  its  face  turned 
towards  Mecca  and  repeat  a  prayer  in  each  ear  of  the  child. 
Then  taking  the  Koran  he  turns  over  any  seven  pages,  and 
from  the  seventh  word  of  the  seventh  line  of  the  seventh  page 
gives  the  name."  (Marshall  Broomhall,  "  Islam  in  China.") 
Here  as  elsewhere  the  naming  of  the  child  and  the  '  Aqiqa 
are  closely  related. 

In  Mecca,  on  the  seventh  day  after  the  birth  of  a  child,  a 
wether  is  usually  killed.  According  to  Snouck  Hurgronje, 
the  people  there  do  not  connect  this  with  the  'Aqiqa  cere- 
mony which  may  take  place  later.  For  the  rest  the  cere- 
monies are  observed  by  the  calling  of  God's  name  in  the  right 
ear  of  the  infant  and  giving  the  call  to  prayer  in  its  left  ear. 
A  short  Khutbah  is  given  at  the  naming  of  the  child  and  a 
present  of  silver  given  to  the  poor.  On  the  fortieth  day  the 
infant  is  dressed  in  beautiful  clothes,  generally  of  silk,  and 
handed  at  sunset  by  the  mother  to  one  of  the  eunuch  guardians 
of  the  Ka'aba  who  lays  it  down  near  the  door  of  the  Ka'aba. 
For  ten  minutes  the  child  remains  under  the  protection  of 
the  shadow  of  the  Kaaba.  Then  the  mother  performs  the 
evening  prayer  and  carries  the  infant  home. 

In  the  Punjab,  according  to  Major  W.  Fitz  G.  Bourne,  the 

s  Skeat's  "  Malay  Magic,"  pp.  341-342. 


dS     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ceremony  is  universal.  He  writes :  "  On  the  sixth  day  after 
birth,  the  mother  is  bathed,  all  the  women  of  the  family 
assemble,  and  a  feast  takes  place,  called  fChhati.'  On  the 
seventh  day  both  male  and  female  relations  are  invited,  and  a 
great  feast  takes  place.  The  child's  head  is  shaved,  and  the 
hair  weighed  against  silver,  which  is  given  to  the  poor.  The 
barber  places  a  small  brass  cup  before  the  assembly,  into 
which  all  present  put  silver.4  A  sacrifice  of  one  or  two  he- 
goats  in  the  case  of  a  male  child,  and  of  a  she-goat  in  the 
case  of  a  female  child,  is  made.  This  ceremony  is  called 
'  Aqiqa '  and  is  solemnized  by  repeating  a  given  prayer  in 
Arabic." 

In  regard  to  Malaysia  and  especially  Celebes,  we  have  in- 
teresting information  about  the  practice  prevalent  among 
Bare'e-speaking  Toradja's,  by  Dr.  N.  Adriani  and  the  Rev. 
A.  D.  Kruijt.  They  say,  "  The  Mohammedans  on  the  south 
coast  believe  that  when  a  child  dies  before  its  third  year  it 
has  no  sins,  and  therefore,  its  soul  is  taken  directly  to  Allah. 
After  the  third  year,  however,  a  sacrifice  is  required,  for  a 
boy  two  goats,  for  a  girl  one.  This  sacrifice  is  called  the 
Mosambale,  or  'Aqiqa.  The  time  differs,  and  is  chiefly  de- 
pendent on  the  prosperity  of  the  family.  If  there  is,  how- 
ever, a  death  in  the  family  or  the  child  is  ill,  no  effort  is 
spared  to  secure  the  necessary  sacrifice.  The  father  himself 
must  slay  the  goat.  If  the  father  has  died  before  the  'Aqiqa 
ceremony,  then  a  portion  of  the  father's  personal  possessions 
must  be  used  to  purchase  the  'Aqiqa  sacrifice;  for  example, 
a  piece  of  his  clothing  or  outfit.  When  the  sacrifice  takes 
place  the  father  says  '  bis  millah,'  etc.  (I  sacrifice  the  'Aqiqa 
of  so-and-so,  who  is  the  child  of  so-and-so.  .  .  .)  The 
popular  opinion  is  that  when  the  child  dies  afterwards  it 
rides  the  goat  which  has  been  sacrified  for  it  in  order  to  wel- 
come its  father  in  the  other  world.     On  the  presentation  of 

*  This  is  also  the  custom  in  Egypt. 


THE  'AQIQA  SACKIFICE  99 

this  sacrifice,  they  assert,  that  the  future  character  of  the 
child  is  dependent  for  good  or  for  ill.  The  child  whose 
morals  are  corrupt  is  described  as  one  for  whom  no  proper 
'aqiqa  offering  has  been  made.  Possibly  this  representation 
rests  on  a  curious  misunderstanding  of  the  Arabic  word 
'aqiqa  and  the  other  Arabic  word  Inaqiqa,  which  means 
*  reality/  so  that  the  people  imagine  that  the  two  words  are 
closely  related." 

In  Afghanistan  the  practice  is  well-known;  and  in  addi- 
tion to  that  of  the  'Aqiqa  we  learn  of  other  vicarious  sacrifices 
that  are  prevalent.  Dr.  Pennell  says,  "  All  Muhammadan 
nations  must,  from  the  origin  of  their  religion,  have  many 
customs  and  observances  which  appear  Jewish,  because  they 
were  adopted  by  Muhammed  himself  from  the  Jews  around 
him;  but  there  are  two,  at  least,  met  with  among  Afghans 
which  are  not  found  among  neighboring  Muhammadan 
peoples,  and  which  strongly  suggest  a  Jewish  origin.  The 
first,  which  is  very  common,  is  that  of  sacrificing  an  animal, 
usually  a  sheep  or  a  goat,  in  case  of  illness,  after  which  the 
blood  of  the  animal  is  sprinkled  over  the  doorposts  of  the 
house  of  the  sick  person,  by  means  of  which  the  angel  of  death 
is  warded  off.  The  other,  which  is  much  less  common,  and 
appears  to  be  dying  out,  is  that  of  taking  a  heifer  and  placing 
upon  it  the  sins  of  the  people,  whereby  it  becomes  qurban,  or 
sacrifice,  and  then  it  is  driven  out  into  the  wilderness." 

All  this  testimony  from  many  Moslem  lands  concerning 
the  prevalence  of  a  practice  which  is  based  upon  the  highest 
authority,  namely,  Sunna,  is  of  course  deeply  interesting  to 
the  student  of  comparative  religion ;  and  for  the  theories  on 
the  subject,  some  of  which  are  fanciful  in  the  extreme,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  such  authorities  as  Frazer  in  his  "  Golden 
Bough "  or  the  special  treatise  of  Prof.  G.  A.  Wilkens, 
"  Ueber  das  Haaropfer."  Perhaps  the  best  explanation  of 
the  origin  of  this  sacrifice  from  the  standpoint  of  comparative 


100     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

religion  is  that  given  by  W.  Robertson  Smith  in  his  book, 
"  Kinship    and    Marriage    in    Early    Arabia."     He    says, 
"  Shaving  or  polling  the  hair  was  an  act  of  worship  commonly 
performed  when  a  man  visited  a  holy  place  or  on  discharging 
a  vow  (as  in  the  ritual  of  the  Hebrew  Nazarites).     At  Taif, 
when  a  man  returned  from  a  journey,  his  first  duty  was  to 
visit  the  Rabba  and  poll  his  hair.     The  hair  in  these  cases 
was  an  offering  to  the  deity,   and  as  such  was  sometimes 
mingled  with  a  meal  offering.     So  it  must  have  been  also 
with  the  hair  of  the  babe,  for  Mohammed's  daughter  Fatima 
gave  the  example' of  bestowing  in  alms  the  weight  of  the  hair 
in  silver.     The  alms  must  in  older  times  have  been  a  pay- 
ment to  the  sanctuary,  as  in  the  similar  ceremony  observed  in 
Egypt  on  behalf  of  children  recovered  from  sickness ;  and  the 
sacrifice  is  meant,  as  the  Prophet  himself  says,  '  to  avert  evil 
from  the  child  by  shedding  blood  on  his  behalf.'     This  is 
more  exactly  brought  out  in  the  old  usage — discontinued  in 
Moslem  times — of  daubing  the  child's  head  with  blood,  which 
is  the  same  thing  with  the  sprinkling  of  the  ' living  blood  ,1 
of  a  victim  on  the  tents  of  an  army  going  out  to  battle,  or  the 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  on  the  doorposts  at  the  Hebrew  pass- 
over.     The  blood  which  ensures  protection  by  the  god  is,  as 
in  ritual  of  blood-brotherhood,  blood  that  unites  protector  and 
protected,  and  in  this,  as  in  all  other  ancient  Arabian  sacri- 
fices, was  doubtless  applied  also  to  the  sacred  stone  that  repre- 
sented the  deity.     The  prophet  offered  a  sheep  indifferently 
for  the  birth  of  a  boy  or  a  girl,  but  in  earlier  times  the 
sacrifice  seems  to  have  been  only  for  boys.5     Some  authorities 
say  that  the  ceremony  fell  on  the  seventh  day  after  birth,  but 
this  is  hardly  correct ;  for  when  there  was  no  'aqiqa  offered  the 
child  was  named  and  its  gums  rubbed  with  masticated  dates 
on  the  morning  after  birth.     The  Arabs  were  accustomed  to 
hide  a  new-born  child  under  a  cauldron  till  the  morning 
b  Compare  the  Tradition  already  cited. 


THE  'AQIQA  SACRIFICE.  101 


■ 


light ;  apparently  it  was  not  thought  safe  till  it  had  been  put 
under  the  protection  of  the  deity.  I  presume  that  in  general 
the  sacrifice,  the  naming,  and  the  symbolical  application  of 
the  most  important  article  of  food  to  the  child's  mouth,  all 
fell  together  and  marked  his  reception  into  partnership  in  the 
sacra  and  means-of-life  of  his  father's  group.  At  Medina 
Mohammed  was  often  called  in  to  give  the  name  and  rub  the 
child's  gums  —  probably  because  in  heathenism  this  was  done 
by  the  priest.  Such  a  ceremony  as  this  would  greatly  facili- 
tate the  change  of  the  child's  kin;  it  was  only  necessary  to 
dedicate  it  to  the  father's  instead  of  the  mother's  god.  But 
indeed  the  name  'aqiqa,  which  is  applied  both  to  the  hair  cut 
off  and  to  the  victim,  seems  to  imply  a  renunciation  of  the 
original  mother-kinship ;  for  the  verb  'aqqa,  "  to  sever,"  is  not 
the  one  that  would  naturally  be  used  either  of  shaving  hair 
or  cutting  the  throat  of  a  victim,  while  it  is  the  verb  that  is 
used  of  dissolving  the  bond  of  kindred,  either  with  or  without 
the  addition  of  al-rahim.  If  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  cere- 
mony, it  is  noteworthy  that  it  was  not  performed  on  girls, 
and  of  this  the  words  of  the  traditions  hardly  admit  a  doubt.6 
The  exclusion  of  women  from  inheritance  would  be  easily 
understood  if  we  could  think  that  at  one  times  daughters  were 
not  made  of  their  father's  kin.  That  certainly  has  been  the 
case  in  some  parts  of  the  world." 

In  his  later  work,  "  The  Religion  of  the  Semites,"  how- 
ever, Professor  Smith  says  that  a  fuller  consideration  of  the 
whole  subject  of  the  hair  offering  convinces  him  that  the 
name  'aqiqa  is  not  connected  with  the  idea  of  change  of  kin, 
but  is  derived  from  the  cutting  away  of  the  first  hair.  "  I 
apprehend  that  among  the  Arabs  .  .  .  the  'aqiqa  was  origin- 
ally a  ceremony  of  initiation  into  manhood,  and  that  the 
transference  of  the  ceremony  to  infancy  was  a  later  innova- 

6  On  the  contrary,  the  Traditions  leave  the  matter  uncertain  except 
as  regards  the  practice  of  the  Jews. 


192      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

tion,  for  among  the  Arabs,  as  among  the  Syrians,  young  lads 
let  their  hair  grow  long,  and  the  sign  of  immaturity  was  the 
retention  of  the  side  locks,  which  adult  warriors  did  not 
wear.  The  cutting  of  the  side  locks  was,  therefore,  a  formal 
mark  of  admission  into  manhood,  and  in  the  time  of  Herod- 
otus it  must  also  have  been  a  formal  initiation  into  the 
worship  of  Orotal,7  for  otherwise  the  religious  significance 
which  the  Greek  historian  attaches  to  the  shorn  forehead  of 
the  Arabs  is  unintelligible.  At  that  time,  therefore,  we  must 
conclude  that  a  hair-offering,  precisely  equivalent  to  the 
'aqiqa,  took  place  upon  entry  into  manhood,  and  thereafter 
the  front  hair  was  habitually  worn  short  as  a  permanent 
memorial  of  this  dedicatory  sacrifice.  It  is  by  no  means 
clear  that  even  in  later  times  the  initiatory  ceremony  was 
invariably  performed  in  infancy,  for  the  name  'aqiqa,  which 
in  Arabic  denotes  the  first  hair  as  well  as  the  religious  cere- 
mony of  cutting  it  off,  is  sometimes  applied  to  the  ruddy  locks 
of  a  lad  approaching  manhood,  and  figuratively  to  the  plum- 
age of  a  swift  young  ostrich  or  the  tufts  of  an  ass's  hair, 
neither  of  which  has  much  resemblance  to  the  scanty  down 
on  the  head  of  a  new-born  babe.  It  would  seem,  therefore, 
that  the  oldest  Semitic  usage  both  in  Arabia  and  in  Syria, 
was  to  sacrifice  the  hair  of  childhood  upon  admission  to  the 
religious  and  social  status  of  manhood." 

It  does  not  seem  very  clear,  however,  that  either  of  these 
theories  is  altogether  satisfactory.  Is  it  not  more  probable 
that  we  have  in  this  Moslem  custom  another  Jewish  element 
in  Islam  connected  with  the  Old  Testament  doctrine  of 
sacrifice,  especially  the  redemption  of  the  first-born  ?  ( Com- 
pare Exodus  XIII:  11-22  XXXIV:  19.)  If  in  addition 
to  all  the  resemblances  to  the  Jewish  practice  already 
noted  further  testimony  were  necessary,  it  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  refer  to  the  statement  made  in  the  commentary  of  Al 

7  Orotal  =  Allah  Ta'ala,  God  Supreme,— Z. 


THE  'AQIQA  SACRIFICE  103 

Buchari  as  the  key  to  this  true  Sunna  of  the  Prophet :  "  For 
the  female  child  one  ewe  —  and  this  abrogates  the  saying  of 
those  who  disapprove  a  sacrifice  for  a  girl  —  as  did  the  Jews, 
who  only  made  'aqiqa  for  boys."  (On  the  authority  of  'Araki 
in  Tirmidhi  —  Fath-ul-Bari  V.  390.) 

An  additional  proof  would  be  the  injunction  of  'Ayesha, 
"  That  not  a  bone  of  this  sacrifice  should  be  broken."  Surely 
the  observation  of  the  'Aqiqa  ceremony  may  well  lead  us  to 
use  Exodus  XII  and  John  XIX  with  our  Moslem  brethren, 
pointing  them  to  the  "  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world/'  and  who  is  the  true  Eedeemer  also  of 
childhood;  who  Himself  took  little  children  into  His  arms 
and  blessed  them.  I  have  recently  prepared  a  leaflet  on  this 
subject  for  Moslems,  entitled  "  Haqiqat  ul  'Aqiqa'  (The 
True  Explanation  of  the  'Aqiqa)  calling  attention  to  some  of 
these  traditions  and  pointing  out  the  teaching  of  the  Old 
Testament  regarding  the  redemption  by  the  sacrificial  Lamb, 
and  showing  that  without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no 
remission  of  sin.  That  the  Moslem  himself  once  recognized 
the  vicarious  character  of  this  sacrifice  and  its  deeper  sig- 
nificance of  atonement  is  perfectly  evident  from  the  prayer 
used  on  this  occasion.  In  one  of  the  books  of  devotion  pub- 
lished in  Hindustani  and  printed  at  Calcutta,  this  prayer 
reads  as  follows :  "  O  God,  this  is  the  'Aqiqa  sacrifice  of 
my  son  so-and-so;  its  blood  for  his  blood,  its  flesh  for  his 
flesh,  its  bone  for  his  bone,  its  skin  for  his  skin,  its  hair  for 
his  hair.  O  God !  make  it  a  redemption  for  my  son  from 
the  Fire,  for  truly  I  have  turned  my  face  to  Him  who 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  a  true  believer.  And  I  am 
not  of  those  who  associate  partners  with  God.  Truly  my 
prayer  and  my  offering  my  life  and  my  death  is  to  God,  the 
Lord  of  the  worlds,  who  has  no  partner,  and  thus  I  am  com- 
manded, and  I  belong  to  the  Moslems."  After  using  this 
prayer  the  manual  of  devotion  states  that  the  sacrifice  shall 


104      THE  INFLUENCE  OE  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

be  slain  by  the  father  of  the  child  while  he  crys  "  Allahu 
akbar." 

We  may  well  imagine  that  under  the  Old  Testament  law 
a  similar  intercessory  prayer  was  offered  by  the  pious 
Israelite  when  presenting  his  sacrifice  on  behalf  of  the  first- 
born. According  to  Jewish  Talmudic  law,  every  Israelite 
was  obliged  to  redeem  his  first-born  son  thirty  days  after  the 
latter's  birth.  At  the  redemption  the  father  of  the  child 
pronounces  these  words,  "  Blessed  art  thou  in  the  name  of 
Him  who  commandeth  us  concerning  the  redemption  of  the 
son."  In  the  case  of  the  first-born  they  also  observe  the 
custom  of  Ahlahah,  that  is  cutting  the  boy's  hair  for  the  first 
time.  This  took  place  after  his  fourth  birthday.  According 
to  the  Jewish  Encyclopaedia,  it  was  also  customary  in  Tal- 
mudic times  to  weigh  the  child  (sic)  8  and  to  present  the 
weight  in  coin  to  the  poor.  According  to  Rabbi  Joseph 
Jacobs  among  the  Beni  Israel  there  is  a  custom  that  if  a 
child  is  born  as  the  result  of  a  vow  its  hair  is  not  cut  until 
the  sixth  or  seventh  year.  It  is  usual  in  all  these  cases  to 
weigh  the  hair  cut  off  and  give  its  weight  in  coin  to  charitable 
purposes. 

Who  can  fail  to  see  that  the  Moslem  custom  is  borrowed 
from  Judaism,  however  much  there  may  be  mingled  in  the 
latter  of  early  Semitic  practice,  the  origin  of  which  is  ob- 
scure ?  Is  there  perhaps  some  connection  also  with  the 
'Akedah  9  prayer  and  ceremony  observed  among  the  Jews  ? 
The  term  refers  to  the  binding  of  Isaac  as  a  sacrifice,  and 
this  Biblical  incident  plays  an  important  part  in  the  Jewish 
liturgy.  The  earliest  allusion  occurs  in  the  Mishnah,  and 
the  following  prayer  is  found  in  the  New  Year's  Day  ritual : 
"  Remember  in  our  favor,  O  Lord  our  God,  the  oath  which 
Thou  hast  sworn  to  our  father  Abraham  on  Mount  Moriah; 

s  This  must  be  a  misprint,  even  in  so  careful  and  accurate  a  work,  for 
"  hair  of  the  child." 

9  'Akedah  —  the  binding  or  knotting  of  a  rope. 


THE  'AQIQA  SACRIFICE  105 

consider  the  binding  of  his  son  Isaac  upon  the  altar  when  he 
suppressed  his  love  in  order  to  do  Thy  will  with  a  whole 
heart !  Thus  may  Thy  love  suppress  Thy  wrath  against  us, 
and  through  Thy  great  goodness  may  the  heat  of  Thine  anger 
be  turned  away  from  Thy  people,  Thy  city  and  Thy  heritage. 
.  .  .  Remember  to-day  in  mercy  in  favor  of  his  seed  the  bind- 
ing of  Isaac."  (Jewish  Encyclopaedia.)  Dr.  Max  Lands- 
berg  says :  "  In  the  course  of  time  ever  greater  importance 
was  attributed  to  the  'Akedah.  The  haggadistic  literature  is 
full  of  allusions  to  it ;  the  claim  to  forgiveness  on  its  account 
was  inserted  in  the  daily  morning  prayer ;  and  a  piece  called 
'AJcedah  was  added  to  the  liturgy  of  each  of  the  penitential 
days  among  the  German  Jews."  In  any  case  we  notice  that 
among  the  Jews  as  among  Moslems  attempts  are  made  to 
explain  away  the  significance  of  this  prayer  and  sacrifice  as 
relating  to  the  idea  of  the  atonement.  Accordingly,  many 
American  reform  rituals  have  abolished  the  'Akedah  prayers. 
It  is  the  fashion  of  the  day  in  liberal  Theology,  Moslem 
and  Jewish  as  well  as  Christian,  to  explain  away  the  idea  of 
expiation  and  atonement  in  the  Old  Testament  as  well  as  in 
the  New.  The  altar  with  its  blood  sacrifice  is  as  great  a 
stumbling-block  to  such  thinkers  as  the  Cross  of  Christ;  but 
the  place  of  the  altar  and  of  the  Cross  are  central,  pivotal,  and 
dominant  in  the  soteriology  of  the  Bible.  We  cannot  escape 
the  clear  teaching  of  God's  Word,  that  "  without  the  shedding 
of  blood  there  is  no  remission  of  sin  "  ;  that  "  the  lamb  of  God 
was  slain  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  " :  that  the  Son 
of  God  came  "  to  give  His  life  a  ransom  for  many."  The 
missionary,  therefore,  as  well  as  the  reverent  student  of  the 
Old  Testament,  is  not  satisfied  with  any  explanation  of  the 
doctrine  of  sacrifice  which  leaves  out  substitution  and  atone- 
ment. One  thing  seems  clear  from  our  investigation,  that 
we  have  in  the  '  Aqiqa  sacrifice  as  well  as  in  the  great  annual 
feast  of  Islam  with  its  day  of  sacrifice  at  Mecca,  a  clear 


106      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

testimony  to  the  doctrine  of  a  vicarious  atonement  and  the 
remission  of  sin  through  the  shedding  of  blood.  Were  St. 
Paul  present  at  an  'Aqiqa  ceremony  or  at  'Arafah  on  the 
great  day  of  the  feast,  would  he  not  preach  to  the  assembled 
multitudes  on  the  "  remission  of  sins  through  His  blood  "  ? 
(Eph.  1 :  7  —  Col.  1 :  14  —  Eom.  V :  11  —  Eom.  Ill :  25.) 

Surely  there  is  pathos  as  well  as  interest  in  the  fact  that 
the  great  Moslem  world  of  childhood  from  its  infancy  has 
been  consecrated  to  the  religion  of  Islam  by  the  'Aqiqa 
sacrifice. 

BOOKS  REFERRED  TO  IN  THIS  CHAPTER 

"  Al  Bukhari"   (Bulak,  1314).     Vol.  VII,  p.  83. 

"  Commentary  on  al  Bukhari,"  Fath-ul-Bari,  by  El  'Ainy.  Vol.  IX,  p. 
710. 

"  Commentary  on  al  Bukhari,"  by  al  Askalany.     Vol.  IX,  p.  464. 

"  Commentary  on  al  Muwatta,"  by  al  Zarkani.     Vol.  Ill,  p.  23. 

"Badayat  ul  Majtahid,"  by  El  Kurtubi  bin  Rushd  el  Hafidh.  Vol.  I, 
p.  375. 

"  Minhaj  ut  Talibin,"  by  al  Nawawi,  p.  127. 

"Mishkat  ul  Masabih    (Delhi).     P.  363. 

"  Ihya  ulum  id  Din,"  by  al  Ghazali.     Vol.  II,  p.  35. 

Commentary  on  the  same,  by  al  Murtadhi.     Vol.  V,  p.  390. 

"The  Encyclopaedia  of  Islam"    (Leyden). 

"The  Jewish  Encyclopaedia"  (Arts.  Hair;  First-born;  Child;  Sac- 
rifice). 

W.  Robertson  Smith,  "  Kinship  and  Marriage  in  Early  Arabia  "  ( Cam- 
bridge, 1885).     "The  Religion  of  the  Semites"  (New  York,  1889). 

C.  Snouck  Hurgronje,  "Mekka"    (The  Hague,   1888). 

C.  M.  Doughty,  "Arabia  Deserta "    (Cambridge,   1888). 

G.  A.  Herklots,  "Customs  of  the  Moosulmans  of  India"  (London, 
1832). 

Major  W.  Fitz  G.  Bourne,  "  Hindustani  Mussulmans  and  Mussulmans  of 
the   Eastern  Punjab"    (Calcutta,   1914). 

N.  Adriani  and  Alb.  C.  Kruijt,  "  De  Barre's-sprekende  Toradja's" 
(Batavia,   1912). 

Budgett  Meakin,  "The  Moors"    (London,  1902). 

Dr.  Pennell,  "Among  the  Wild  Tribes  of  the  Afghan  Frontier"  (Lon- 
don, 1909). 

Marshall  Broomhall,  "Islam  in  China"    (London,  1910). 


CHAPTEE  VI 

THE    FAMILIAR    SPIRIT    OR    QARINA 

Among  all  the  superstitions  in  Islam  there  is  none  more 
curious  in  its  origin  and  character  than  the  belief  in  the 
Qarin  or  Qarina,.  It  probably  goes  back  to  the  ancient  re- 
ligion of  Egypt,  or  to  the  animistic  beliefs  common  in  Arabia 
as  well  as  in  Egypt,  at  the  time  of  Mohammed.  By  Qarin  or 
Qarina  the  Moslem  understands  the  double  of  the  individual, 
his  companion,  his  mate,  his  familiar  demon.  In  the  case  of 
males  a  female  mate,  and  in  the  case  of  females  a  male. 
This  double  is  generally  understood  to  be  a  devil,  shaitan  or 
jinn,  born  at  the  time  of  the  individual's  birth  and  his  con- 
stant companion  throughout  life.  The  Qarina  is,  therefore, 
of  the  progeny  of  Satan. 

The  conception  of  the  soul  and  the  belief  in  a  double  among 
Moslems  closely  resembles  the  idea  of  the  Malays  and  other 
animists.  "  The  Malay  conception  of  the  human  soul,"  we 
read,  "  is  that  of  a  species  of  thumbling,  a  thin  unsubstantial 
human  image,  or  mannikin,  which  is  temporarily  absent  from 
the  body  in  sleep,  trance,  disease,  and  permanently  absent 
after  death.  This  mannikin,  which  is  usually  invisible  but 
is  supposed  to  be  about  as  big  as  the  thumb,  corresponds  ex- 
actly in  shape,  proportion  and  even  complexion,  to  its  em- 
bodiment or  casing,  i.  e.,  the  body  in  which  it  has  its  resi- 
dence. It  is  of  a  vapory,  shadowy,  or  filmy  essence,  though 
not  so  impalpable,  but  that  it  may  cause  displacement  on  en- 
tering a  physical  object.  .  .  .  The  soul  appears  to  men  (both 
waking  and  sleeping)  as  a  phantom  separate  from  the  body, 

of  which  it  bears  the  likeness,  manifests  physical  power,  and 

107 


108      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Walks,  sits,  and  sleeps."  -1  What  this  concept  has  become  in 
Islam  we  shall  see  in  a  moment. 

That  the  shadow  is  a  second  soul,  or  a  semblance  of  the 
soul,  is  also  an  animistic  idea.  The  same  thing  appears  in 
Islam,  for  the  shadow  of  a  dog  defiles  the  one  who  prays  as 
much  as  does  the  dog  himself.2  The  Javanese  believe  that 
black  chickens  and  black  cats  do  not  cast  a  shadow  because 
they  come  from  the  underworld.  When  one  reads  of  this 
one  cannot  help  comparing  with  it  the  Moslem  belief  in  the 
Qarina. 

There  are  many  passages  in  the  Koran  in  which  this  doc- 
trine is  plainly  taught,  and  by  reading  the  commentaries  on 
these  texts,  a  world  of  superstition,  groveling,  coarse,  and, 
to  the  last  degree,  incredible,  is  opened  to  the  reader.  The 
Koran  passages  read  as  follows :  3  ( Chapter  of  the  Cave, 
verse  48),  "  And  when  we  said  to  the  angels,  '  Adore  Adam/ 
they  adored  him,  save  only  Iblis,  who  was  of  the  jinn,  who 
revolted  from  the  bidding  of  his  Lord.  i  What !  will  ye  then 
take  him  and  his  seed  as  patrons,  rather  than  me,  when  they 
are  foes  of  yours  ?  bad  for  the  wrong-doers  is  the  exchange  !  '  " 
The  reference  here  is  to  the  words,  "  Satan  and  his  seed." 
(See  especially  the  Commentary  of  Eahr  al  Din  al  Eazi, 
margin,  Vol.  VI,  p.  75.) 

In  speaking  of  the  resurrection  when  the  trumpet  is  blown 
and  the  day  of  judgment  comes,  we  read:  (Chapter  Kaf, 
verses  20-30),  "  And  every  soul  shall  come  —  with  it  a 
driver  and  a  witness !  '  Thou  wert  heedless  of  this,  and  we 
withdrew  thy  veil  from  thee,  and  to-day  is  thine  eyesight 
keen!'  And  his  mate  {qarina)  shall  say,  '  This  is  what  is 
ready  for  me  (to  attest).'     '  Throw  into  hell  every  stubborn 

i "  Malay  Magic,"  by  W.  W.  Skeat,  London,  1900. 
2 1  have  not  found  this  stated  in  the  Traditions,  but  it  is  a  well- 
known  belief  in  Egypt  and  in  Arabia. 
3  Palmer's  translation  is  used  throughout. 


THE  FAMILIAK  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       109 

misbeliever  !  —  who  forbids  good,  a  transgressor,  a  doubter  ! 
who  sets  other  gods  with  God  —  and  throw  him,  ye  twain, 
into  fierce  torment ! ?  His  mate  shall  say,  '  Our  Lord !  I  se- 
duced him  not,  but  he  was  in  a  remote  error/  He  shall  say, 
'  Wrangle  not  before  me ;  for  I  sent  the  threat  to  you  before. 
The  sentence  is  not  changed  with  me,  nor  am  I  unjust  to  my 
servants.'  On  the  day  we  will  say  to  hell,  '  Art  thou  full  ? ? 
and  it  will  say,  '  Are  there  any  more  ? '  " 

And  again  we  read:  (Chapter  of  Women,  verses  41,  42), 
"  And  those  who  expend  their  wealth  in  alms  for  appearance 
sake  before  men,  and  who  believe  not  in  God  nor  in  the  last 
day; — but  whosoever  has  Satan  for  his  mate,  (qarina)  an 
evil  mate  has  he." 

Again:  (Chapter  of  the  Ranged,  verses  47-54),  ".  .  . 
and  with  them  damsels,  restraining  their  looks,  large  eyed; 
as  though  they  were  a  sheltered  egg;  and  some  shall  come 
forward  to  ask  others ;  and  a  speaker  amongst  them  shall  say, 
'  Verily,  I  had  a  mate  (qarina)  who  used  to  say,  "  Art  thou 
verily  of  those  who  credit  ?  What !  when  we  are  dead,  and 
have  become  earth  and  bones,  shall  we  be  surely  judged?  "  ' 
He  will  say,  i  Are  ye  looking  down  ? '  and  he  shall  look  down 
and  see  him  in  the  midst  of  hell.  He  shall  say,  '  By  God, 
thou  didst  nearly  ruin  me !  7  " 

(Chapter  "Detailed,"  verse  24),  "  We  will  allot  to  them 
mates,  for  they  have  made  seemly  to  them  what  was  before 
them  and  what  was  behind  them ;  and  due  against  them  was 
the  sentence  on  the  nations  who  passed  away  before  them; 
both  of  jinns  and  of  mankind ;  verily,  they  were  the  losers  !  ' 

(Chapter  of  Gilding,  verses  35-37),  "  And  whosoever 
turns  from  the  reminder  of  the  Merciful  One,  we  will  chain 
to  him  a  devil,  who  shall  be  his  mate ;  and  verily,  these  shall 
turn  them  from  the  path  while  they  reckon  they  are  guided ; 
until  when  he  comes  to  us  he  shall  say,  i  O,  would  that  be- 
tween me  and  thee  there  were  the  distance  of  the  two  orients, 


110      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

for  an  evil  mate  (art  thou)  ! '  But  it  shall  not  avail  you  on 
that  day,  since  ye  were  unjust;  verily,  in  the  torment  shall 
ye  share !  " 

To  speak  of  only  one  of  these  passages,  what  Baidhawi  says 
in  regard  to  the  Chapter  of  the  Eanged,  verse  49,  leaves  no 
doubt  that  the  qarina,  which  has  been  the  mate  of  the  be- 
liever all  through  life,  is  cast  into  hell  on  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, and  that  this  evil  spirit,  which  is  born  with  every  man, 
is  determined  to  ruin  him,  but  that  the  favor  of  God  saves 
the  believer,  and  that  one  of  the  special  mercies  of  heaven 
for  the  believer  is  to  behold  his  companion  devil  forever 
in  torment. 

Before  we  deal  further  with  the  comment  as  given  on  these 
verses,  and  the  teaching  in  Moslem  books,  we  consider  the 
possible  origin  of  this  belief  in  teaching  found  in  the  "  Book 
of  the  Dead  "  of  ancient  Egypt.  "  In  addition  to  the  Nat- 
ural-body and  Spirit-body,"  writes  E.  A.  Wallis  Budge 
("  Book  of  the  Dead,"  Vol.  I,  p.  73),  "  man  also  had  an  ab- 
stract individuality  or  personality  endowed  with  all  his  char- 
acteristic attributes.  This  abstract  personality  had  an  abso- 
lutely independent  existence.  It  could  move  freely  from 
place  to  place,  separating  itself  from,  or  uniting  itself  to,  the 
body  at  will,  and  also  enjoying  life  with  the  gods  in  heaven. 
This  was  the  ha,  a  word  which  at  times  conveys  the  meaning 
of  its  Coptic  equivalent  ko>,  and  of  eiSwAov,  image,  genius, 
double,  character,  disposition,  and  mental  attributes.  What 
the  ha  really  was  has  not  yet  been  decided,  and  Egyptologists 
have  not  yet  come  to  an  agreement  in  their  views  on  the  sub- 
ject. Mr.  Griffith  thinks  (Hieroglyphs,  p.  15),  that  '  it  was 
from  one  point  of  view  regarded  as  the  source  of  muscular 
movement  and  power,  as  opposed  to  ha,  the  will  or  soul  which 
set  it  in  motion.'  "  In  September,  1878,  M.  Maspero  ex- 
plained to  the  Members  of  the  Congress  of  Lyons  the  views 
which  he  held  concerning  this  word,  and  which  he  had  for  the 


THE  FAMILIAR  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       111 

past  five  years  been  teaching  in  the  College  of  France,  and 
said,  "  le  ka  est  une  sorte  de  double  de  la  personne  humaine 
d'une  matiere  moins  grossiere  que  la  matiere  dont  est  forme 
le  corps,  mais  quit  fallait  nourrir  et  entretenir  comme  le 
corps  lui-meme;  ce  double  vivait  dans  le  tombeau  des  offran- 
des  quon  faisait  aux  fetes  canoniques,  et  aujourd'hui  encore 
un  grand  nombre  des  genies  de  la  tradition  populaire  egyp- 
tienne  ne  sont  que  des  doubles,  devenus  demons  au  moment 
de  la  conversion  des  fellahs  au  cliristianisme,  puis  a  Vislam- 
isme."  4 

Other  authorities  whom  Mr.  Budge  quotes  think  that  the 
Ka  was  a  genius  and  not  a  double.  Mr.  Breasted  thinks  that 
the  ha  was  the  superior  genius  intended  to  guide  the  fortunes 
of  the  individual  in  the  hereafter.  But  Mr.  Budge  goes  on 
to  say :  "  The  relation  of  the  ha  to  the  funerary  offerings  has 
been  ably  discussed  by  Baron  Fr.  W.  v.  Bissing  (Versuch 
einer  neuen  Erklarung  des  Ka'i  der  alten  Aegypter  in  the  Sit- 
zungsberichte  der  Kgl.  Bayer.  Akad.,  Munich,  1911),  and 
it  seems  as  if  the  true  solution  of  the  mystery  may  be  found 
by  working  on  the  lines  of  his  idea,  (which  was  published  in 
the  Recueil,  1903,  p.  182),  and  by  comparing  the  views  about 
the  (  double '  held  by  African  peoples  throughout  the  Sudan. 
The  funeral  offerings  of  meat,  cakes,  ale,  wine,  unguents,  etc., 
were  intended  for  the  ha;  the  scent  of  the  burnt  incense  was 
grateful  for  it  (sic).  The  ha  dwelt  in  the  man's  statue  just 
as  the  ha  of  a  god  inhabited  the  statue  of  the  god.  In  the 
remotest  times  the  tombs  had  special  chambers  wherein  the 
ha  was  worshiped  and  received  offerings.  The  priesthood 
numbered  among  its  body  an  order  of  men  who  bore  the  name 
of  e  priests  of  the  ka  ?  and  who  performed  services  of  honor 
of  the  ha  in  the  "  Ka  chapel !  '      Although  not  in  any  sense 

*  The  Qarina.  The  belief  in  the  Qarina  shows  itself  in  the  common 
speech  of  the  people.  When  an  Egyptian  wishes  to  send  some  one  away 
he  always  uses  the  expression  Rukh-anta-wa-huica,  i.e.,  Go  thou  and  he. 
The  latter  pronoun  refers  to  the  man's  demon  mate  or  Qarina. 


112      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

an  Egyptologist,  I  believe  further  light  may  be  thrown  on  the 
real  significance  of  ha  by  what  popular  Islam  teaches  to-day. 

Whatever  may  be  the  significance  of  ha  in  Egyptology,  we 
are  not  in  doubt  as  to  what  Mohammed  himself  thought  of  his 
ha  or  qarina.  In  the  most  famous  volume  of  all  Moslem 
books  on  the  doctrine  of  jinn,  called  "  Kitab  akam  al  mar j  an 
fi  Ahkam  al  Jan"  by  Abdullah-esh-Shabli  (769  a.  h.)  we 
read  in  chapter  five  as  follows :  "  It  is  related  by  Muslim 
and  others  from  'Ayesha  that  the  Apostle  of  God  left  her 
one  night  and  that  she  said,  '  I  was  jealous  of  him.'  Then 
she  said,  (  Mohammed  saw  me  and  came  for  me  and  said, 
"  What's  the  matter  with  you,  'Ayesha  ?  are  you  jealous  ?  "  ' 
And  I  replied,  '  Why  should  one  like  me  not  be  jealous  of 
one  like  you  ? '  Then  the  apostle  of  God  said,  '  Has  your 
devil  spirit  got  hold  of  you  \ '  Then  I  said,  '  O  Apostle  of 
God,  is  there  a  devil  with  me  ? '  Said  he,  '  Yes,  and  with 
every  person.'  Said  I,  '  And  with  you  also,  O  Apostle  of 
God  ? '  Said  he,  '  Yes,  but  my  Lord  Most  Glorious  and  Pow- 
erful has  assisted  me  against  him,  so  that  he  became  a  Mos- 
lem.' "  Another  Tradition  is  given  in  the  same  chapter  on 
the  authority  of  Ibn  Hanbal  as  follows :  "  Said  the  Apostle 
of  God,  '  There  is  not  a  single  one  of  you  but  has  his  qarina 
of  the  jinn  and  his  qarina  of  the  angels.'  They  said,  '  And 
thou  also,  O  Apostle  of  God  ? '  '  Yes,'  he  replied,  '  I  also, 
but  God  has  helped  her  so  that  she  does  not  command  me  ex- 
cept in  that  which  is  true  and  good.'  "  The  Tradition  here 
given  occurs  in  many  forms  in  the  same  chapter,  so  that  there 
can  be  no  doubt  of  its  being  well-known  and,  in  the  Moslem 
sense,  authentic. 

Here  is  another  curious  form  of  the  same  Tradition. 
"  Said  the  Apostle  of  God,  '  I  was  superior  to  Adam  in  two 
particulars,  for  my  devil  (qarina),  although  an  unbeliever, 
became  through  God's  help  a  Moslem  and  my  wives  were  a 
help  to  me,  but  Adam's  devil  remained  an  infidel  and  his  wife 


THE  FAMILIAE  SPIRIT  OE  QARINA       113 

led  him  into  temptation.'  "  We  also  find  an  evening  prayer 
recorded  of  Mohammed  as  follows :  "  Whenever  the  Apos- 
tle of  God  went  to  his  bed  to  sleep  at  night  he  said,  6  In  the 
name  of  God  I  now  lay  myself  down  and  seek  protection  from 
him  against  the  evil  influence  of  my  devil  (qarin,  shaitan), 
and  from  the  burden  of  my  sin  and  the  weight  of  my  iniquity. 
O  God,  make  me  to  receive  the  highest  decree. " 

As  regards  the  number  of  these  companion  devils  and  their 
origin,  Tradition  is  not  silent.  "  It  is  said  that  there  are 
males  and  females  among  the  devils,  out  of  whom  they  pro- 
create; but  as  to  Iblis,  God  has  created.  .  .  .  (The  signifi- 
cance of  this  passage,  which  is  not  fit  for  translation,  is  that 
Iblis  is  an  hermaphrodite)  .  .  .  there  come  forth  out  of  him 
every  day  ten  eggs,  out  of  each  of  which  are  born  seventy 
male  and  female  devils.  (Ibn  Khallikan,  quoted  in  Hayat 
al-Hawayan,  article  jinn.) 

In  another  tradition  also  found  in  the  standard  collec- 
tions it  is  said  that  Iblis  laid  thirty  eggs  — "  ten  in  the  west, 
ten  in  the  east,  and  ten  in  the  middle  of  the  earth  —  and 
that  out  of  every  one  of  those  eggs  came  forth  a  species  of 
devils,  such  as  al-Gilan,  al-'Akarib,  al-Katarib,  al-Jann,  and 
others  bearing  diverse  names.  They  are  all  enemies  of  men 
according  to  the  words  of  God.  '  What !  will  ye  then  take 
him  and  his  seed  as  patrons,  rather  than  we,  when  they  are 
foes  of  yours  ? '  with  the  exception  of  the  believing  ones 
among  them." 

Al-Tabari,  in  his  great  commentary,  vol.  26,  p.  104,  says 
the  qarin  or  qarina  is  each  man's  sliaitan  (devil),  who  was 
appointed  to  have  charge  of  him  in  the  world.  He  then 
proves  his  statement  by  a  series  of  traditions  similar  to  those 
already  quoted :  "  his  qarin  is  his  devil  (shaitan)  " ;  or,  ac- 
cording to  another  authority  there  quoted,  "  his  qarina  is  his 
jinn"  (The  second  form  of  the  word  is  feminine,  the  first 
masculine.) 


114     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

According  to  Moslem  Tradition,  not  only  Mohammed  but 
even  Jesus  the  Prophet  had  a  qarin.  As  He  was  sinless,  and 
because,  in  accordance  with  the  well-known  tradition,  Satan 
was  unable  to  touch  Him  at  His  birth,  His  qarin  like  that  of 
Mohammed  was  a  good  one.  "  On  the  authority  of  Ka'ab  the 
Holy  Spirit,  Gabriel,  strengthened  Jesus  because  He  was 
His  qarin  and  his  constant  companion,  and  went  with  Him 
wherever  He  went  until  the  day  when  He  was  taken  up  to 
heaven."      (Qusus  al  Anbiya,"  by  Al  Tha'alabi.) 

Now  while  in  the  case  of  Mohammed  and  Jesus  and  per- 
haps also  in  the  case  of  other  prophets,  the  qarin  or  qarina 
was  or  became  a  good  spirit,  the  general  teaching  is  that  all 
human  beings,  non-Moslems  as  well  as  Moslems,  have  their 
familiar  spirit,  who  is  in  every  case  jealous,  malignant,  and 
the  cause  of  physical  and  moral  ill,  save  in  as  far  as  his 
influence  is  warded  oif  by  magic  or  religion.  It  is  just  here 
that  the  belief  exercises  a  dominating  place  in  popular  Islam. 
It  is  against  this  spirit  of  jealousy,  this  other-self,  that  chil- 
dren wear  beads,  amulets,  talismans,  etc.  It  is  this  other-self 
that  through  jealousy,  hatred  and  envy  prevents  love  between 
husband  and  wife,  produces  sterility  and  barrenness,  kills  the 
unborn  child,  and  in  the  case  of  children  as  well  as  of  adults 
is  the  cause  of  untold  misery. 

The  qarina  is  believed  often  to  assume  the  shape  of  a  cat 
or  dog  or  other  household  animal.  So  common  is  the  belief 
that  the  qarina  dwells  in  the  body  of  a  cat  at  night-time,  that 
neither  Copts  nor  Moslems  would  dare  to  beat  or  injure  a 
cat  after  dark.5 

Many  precautions  are  taken  to  defend  the  unborn  child 
against  its  mate,  or  perhaps  it  is  rather  against  the  mate  of 
the  mother,  who  is  jealous  of  the  future  child.  Major  Tre- 
mearne,    who   studied   the   subject   in   North   Africa,    says 

s  Many  stories  are  related  of  the  terrible  consequences  that  follow 
beating  a  cat.     These  stories  are  credited  even  by  the  educated. 


THE  EAMILIAR  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       115 

("  Ban  of  the  Bori,"  p.  97)  :  the  qarin  "  does  not  come  until 
after  the  child  has  been  actually  born,  for  the  sex  is  not  known 
before  that  time."  And  again  (p.  131)  :  "All  human  be- 
ings, animals,  plants  and  big  rocks,  have  a  permanent  soul 
(quruioa)  and  a  familiar  bori  of  the  same  sex,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, young  people  have  a  temporary  bori  of  the  opposite 
sex,  while  all  living  things  have  two  angels  (malaiha)  in 
attendance.  Small  stones  are  soulless,  and  so  are  those  large 
ones  which  are  deep  in  the  earth,  '  for  they  are  evidently 
dead,'  else  they  would  not  have  been  buried.  The  soul  has 
a  shape  like  that  of  the  body  which  it  inhabits,  and  it  dwells 
in  the  heart,  but  where  it  comes  in  and  out  of  the  body  is  not 
known.  It  is  not  the  shadow  (ennuwa),  for  it  cannot  be  seen, 
and  in  fact  the  ennuwa  is  the  shadow  both  of  the  body  and  of 
the  soul.  Yet  the  word  quruiva  is  sometimes  loosely  used  for 
shadow,  and  there  is  evidently  some  connection,  for  a  wizard 
can  pick  the  soul  out  of  it.  Neither  is  it  the  breath,  for  when 
a  person  sleeps  his  soul  wanders  about ;  in  fact,  it  does  so  even 
when  a  person  is  day-dreaming." 

All  this,  which  is  descriptive  of  conditions  among  the 
Hausa  Moslems  of  North  Africa,  closely  resembles  the  belief 
in  Egypt.  The  jinn  of  the  opposite  sex,  that  is  the  soul-mate, 
generally  dwells  underground.  It  does  not  wish  its  par- 
ticular mortal  to  get  married.  For,  again  I  quote  from  Major 
Tremearne,  "  It  sleeps  with  the  person  and  has  relations  dur- 
ing sleep  as  is  known  by  the  dreams."  This  invisible  com- 
panion of  the  opposite  sex  is  generally  spoken  of  in  Egypt  as 
"  sister  "  or  "  brother."  His  or  her  abode  is  in  quiet  shady 
places,  especially  under  the  threshold  of  the  house.  The 
death  of  one  or  more  children  in  the  family  is  often  attributed 
to  their  mother's  mate,  and  therefore,  the  mother  and  the  sur- 
viving children  wear  iron  anklets  to  ward  off  this  danger. 
Most  people  believe  that  the  qarina  dies  with  the  individual ; 
others  that  it  enters  the  grave  with  the  body.     Although  gen- 


116  *THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

erally  invisible  there  are  those  who  have  second  sight  and 
can  see  the  qarina.  It  wanders  about  at  night  in  the  shape 
of  a  cat. 

I  have  recently  taken  down  verbatim  from  Sheikh  Ahmed 
Muharram  of  Daghestan  and  later  from  Smyrna  an  account 
of  the  popular  belief.  He  says  that  his  statement  rep-resents 
the  belief  of  all  Turkish  and  Russian  Mohammedans.  The 
qurana  (plural  of  qarina)  come  into  the  world  from  the 
'Alalam  ul  Barzakliiya  6  at  the  time  the  child  is  conceived, 
before  it  is  born ;  therefore  during  the  act  of  coition,  Moslems 
are  told  by  their  Prophet  to  pronounce  the  word  "  bismillah." 
This  will  prevent  the  child  from  being  overcome  by  its  devil 
and  turned  into  an  infidel  or  rascal.  The  qarina  exists  with 
the  foetus  in  the  womb.  When  the  child  is  born  the  ceremony 
of  pronouncing  the  creed  in  its  right  ear  and  the  call  to  prayer 
in  the  left  is  to  protect  the  child  from  its  mate.  Among  the 
charms  used  against  qurana  are  portions  of  the  Koran  writ- 
ten on  leaden-images  of  fish  or  on  leaden  discs.  The  qurana 
are  invisible  except  to  people  who  are  idiots  and  to  the 
prophets.  These  often  have  second  vision.  The  qurana  do 
not  die  with  their  human  mates,  but  exist  in  the  grave  until 
the  day  of  the  resurrection,  when  they  testify  for  or  against 
the  human  being.  The  reason  that  young  children  die  is  be- 
cause Um  es  Subyan  (the  child-witch)  is  jealous  of  the  mother, 
and  she  then  uses  the  qarina  of  the  child  to  put  an  end  to  it. 
"  The  way  I  overcome  my  qarina,"  said  Ahmed  Muharram, 
"  is  by  prayer  and  fasting."  It  is  when  a  man  is  overcome 
with  sleep  that  his  qarina  gets  the  better  of  him.  "  When  I 
omit  a  prayer  through  carelessness  or  forgetfulness,  it  is  my 
qarina  and  not  myself.  The  qarina  is  not  a  spirit  merely  but 
has  a  spiritual  body,  and  all  of  them  differ  in  their  bodily 
appearance,  although  invisible  to  us.     The  qarina  does  not 

6  The  unseen  world,  Hades,  the  abode  of  souls  after  death  and  before 
birth. 


THE  FAMILIAK  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       117 

increase  in  size,  however,  as  does  the  child."  The  Sheikh 
seemed  to  be  in  doubt  in  regard  to  the  sex  of  the  qarina.  At 
first  he  would  not  admit  that  the  sex  relation  was  as  indicated, 
thinking  it  improper  for  a  man  to  have  a  female  mate,  but 
after  discussion  he  said  he  was  mistaken.  He  admitted  also 
that  all  these  popular  beliefs  were  based  upon  the  Koran  and 
Tradition,  although  superstitious  practice  had  crept  in  among 
the  masses. 

A  learned  Sheikh  at  Caliub,  a  Moslem  village  near  Cairo, 
was  also  consulted  on  the  subject.  At  first  he  tried  to  explain 
away  the  idea  of  popular  Islam  by  saying  that  the  qarma 
only  referred  to  the  evil  conscience  or  a  man's  evil  nature, 
but  after  a  few  questions  he  became  quite  garrulous,  and 
gave  the  following  particulars :  The  expectant  mother,  in 
fear  of  the  qarina,  visits  the  sheikha  (learned  woman)  three 
months  before  the  birth  of  the  child,  and  does  whatever  she 
indicates  as  a  remedy.  These  sheikhas  exercise  great  influ- 
ence over  the  women,  and  batten  on  their  superstitious 
beliefs,  often  impersonating  the  qarina  and  frightening  the 
ignorant.  The  Moslem  mother  often  denies  the  real  sex  of 
her  babe  for  seven  days  after  it  is  born  in  order  to  protect  its 
life  from  the  qarina.  During  these  seven  days  she  must  not 
strike  a  cat  or  she  and  the  child  will  both  die.  Candles  are 
lighted  on  the  seventh  day  and  placed  in  a  jug  of  water  near 
the  head  of  the  child,  to  guard  it  against  the  qarina.  Be- 
fore the  child  is  born  a  special  amulet  is  prepared,  consist- 
ing of  seven  grains  each  of  seven  different  kinds  of  cereal. 
These  are  sewn  up  in  a  bag,  and  when  the  infant  is  born  it  is 
made  to  wear  it.  The  mother  also  has  certain  verses  of  the 
Koran  written  with  musk  water  or  ink  on  the  inside  of  a  white 
dish.  This  is  then  filled  with  water  and  the  ink  washed  off 
and  the  contents  taken  as  a  potion.  The  Sheikh  told  me  that 
the  last  two  chapters  of  the  Koran  and  also  Surat  Al  Muja- 
dala  were  most  commonly  used  for  this  purpose.     One  of  the 


118     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

most  common  amulets  against  the  qarina  or  the  child-witch  is 
that  called  the  "  Seven  Covenants  of  Solomon."  7 

In  Upper  Egypt  the  bride  wears  a  special  amulet  against 
the  qarina  fastened  to  her  hair  at  the  back  or  elsewhere  on 
her  person.  It  consists  of  a  triangular  bag  an  inch  long  of 
colored  cloth  containing  seeds.  The  tongue  of  a  donkey  dried 
is  considered  a  most  powerful  charm  against  the  qarina  and 
is  used  as  an  amulet  on  the  house  or  the  person. 

A  third  amulet  against  the  qarina  of  which  I  have  a  speci- 
men from  the  village  of  Sirakna  consists  of  a  flat  bronze  ring 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  On  this  they  tie 
threads  of  yellow,  red,  and  blue  silk.  It  is  then  hung  in  the 
armpit  of  a  little  child  to  protect  it  from  the  qarina. 

Charms  and  amulets  against  the  qarina  abound.  Books  on 
the  subject  are  printed  by  the  thousands  of  copies.  Here,  for 
example,  are  the  directions  given  for  writing  an  amulet  in 
the  celebrated  book  called  " '  Kitdb  Mujaribat"  by  Sheikh 
Ahmed  Al  Dirbi  (p.  105)  :  "  This  (twenty-fourth)  chapter 
gives  an  account  of  an  amulet  to  be  used  against  qarina  and 
against  miscarriage.  This  is  the  blessed  amulet  prepared  to 
guard  against  all  bodily  and  spiritual  evils  and  against  harm 
and  sorcery  and  demons  and  fear  and  terror  and  jinn  and  the 
qarina  and  familiar  spirits  and  ghosts  and  fever  and  all  man- 
ner of  illness  and  wetting  the  bed,  and  against  the  child-witch 
(Um  es  Subyan)  and  whirlwinds  and  devils  and  poisonous 
insects  and  the  evil  eye  and  pestilence  and  plague  and  to 
guard  the  child  against  weeping  while  it  sleeps  —  and  the 
mystery  of  this  writing  is  great  for  those  children  who  have 
fits  every  month  or  every  week  or  who  cannot  cease  from  cry- 
ing or  to  the  woman  who  is  liable  to  miscarriage.  And  it  is 
said  that  this  amulet  contains  the  great  and  powerful  name 
of  God  —  in  short,  it  is  useful  for  all  evils.     It  must  be 

7  A  translation  of  this  is  given  in  the  chapter  on  amulets,  charms  and 
knots. 


THE  FAMILIAR  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       119 

written  the  first  hour  of  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  reads 
as  follows :  "  In  the  name  of  God  the  Merciful,  the  Compas- 
sionate, there  is  no  God  but  He,  the  Living,  the  Eternal,  etc. 
(to  the  end  of  the  verse  on  the  throne).  In  the  name  of  God 
and  to  God  and  upon  God,  and  there  is  no  one  victorious  save 
God  and  no  one  can  deliver  him  who  flees  from  God,  for  He 
is  the  Living,  the  Self-subsisting,  whom  slumber  seizes  not 
nor  sleep,  etc.  I  place  in  the  safe  keeping  of  God  him  who 
carries  this  amulet,  the  God  than  whom  there  is  no  other, 
who  knows  the  secret  and  the  open.  He  is  the  Merciful,  the 
Compassionate.  I  protect  the  bearer  by  the  words  of  God 
Most  Perfect  and  by  His  glorious  names  from  evil  that  ap- 
proaches and  the  eyes  that  flash  and  the  souls  of  the  wicked 
and  from  the  evil  of  the  father  of  wickedness  and  his  descend- 
ants and  from  the  evil  of  those  that  blow  upon  knots  and 
from  the  evil  of  the  envier  when  he  envies,  and  I  put  him 
under  the  protection  of  God  the  Most  Holy,  King  of  the 
Angels  and  of  the  Spirits,  Lord  of  the  worlds,  the  Lord  of 
the  great  throne,  Ihyashur,  Ihyabur,  Ihya-Adoni,  Sabaoth  Al 
Shaddai ;  8  and  I  put  the  bearer  under  the  keeping  of  God 
by  the  light  of  the  face  of  God  which  does  not  change  and  by 
His  eye  which  does  not  sleep  nor  slumber  and  His  protection 
which  can  never  be  imagined  nor  escaped  and  His  assist- 
ance which  needs  no  help  and  His  independence  which  has  no 
equal  and  His  eternity  without  end,  His  deity  which  cannot 
be  overcome  and  His  omnipresence  which  cannot  be  escaped, 
and  I  put  him  under  the  protection  of  the  Lord  of  Gabriel  and 
Michael  and  Israfil  and  Izrail  and  of  Mohammed,  the  seal  of 
the  Prophets,  and  of  all  the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  in  the 
name  of  Him  who  created  the  angels  and  established  their 
footsteps  by  His  majesty  to  hold  up  His  throne  when  it  was 
borne  on  the  face  of  the  waters,  and  by  the  eight  names  writ- 

8  This   portion   shows   Jewish  origin   and   gives   some   of  the  Hebrew 
names  of  God  —  Jehovah. 


120     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ten  upon  the  throne  of  God.  I  also  give  the  bearer  the  pro- 
tection of  K.H.T.S.  and  the  seven  H.W.M.'s  and  H.M.S.K.'s, 
and  by  the  talisman  of  M.S.  and  M.E.  and  E.  and  H.W.M. 
and  S.  and  K.  and  N.  and  T.H.  and  Y.S.9  and  the  learned 
Koran  and  by  the  name  of  God  Most  Hidden  and  His  noble 
book  and  by  Him  who  is  light  upon  lights,  by  His  name  who 
flashed  into  the  night  of  darkness  and  destroyed  by  his  blaze 
every  rebellious  devil  and  made  those  that  feared  trust  Him ; 
and  by  the  name  by  which  man  can  walk  upon  water  and 
make  it  as  dry  land;  and  by  the  name  by  which  Thou  didst 
call  thyself  in  the  book  which  came  down  and  which  Thou 
didst  not  reveal  to  any  but  by  whose  power  Thou  didst  return 
to  Thy  throne  after  the  creation ;  and  by  the  name  by  which 
Thou  didst  raise  up  the  heavens  and  spread  out  the  earth  and 
Greatest  paradise  and  the  fire*;  the  name  by  which  Thou  didst 
part  the  sea  for  Moses  and  sent  the  flood  to  the  people  of 
Noah,  the  name  written  on  Moses'  rod  and  by  which  Thou 
didst  raise  up  Jesus,  the  name  written  on  the  leaves  of  the 
olive  trees  and  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  noble  angels.  And 
I  put  the  one  who  wears  this  amulet  under  the  protection  of 
Him  who  existed  before  all  and  who  will  outlast  all  and  who 
has  created  all,  God,  than  whom  there  is  no  other,  the  Living, 
He  is  the  Knowing  and  the  Wise ;  and  I  put  the  bearer  under 
the  protection  of  the  name  of  God  by  which  He  placed  the 
seven  heavens  firmly  and  the  earth  upon  its  mountains  and 
the  waters  so  that  they  flowed  and  the  fountains  so  that  they 
burst  forth  and  the  rivers  so  that  they  watered  the  earth,  and 
the  trees  brought  forth  their  fruit  and  the  clouds  gave  rain 
and  night  became  dark  and  the  day  dawned  and  the  moon 
game  his  light  and  the  sun  his  splendor  and  the  stars  went 
in  their  course  and  the  winds  who  carried  His  messages ;  and 
I  put  the  bearer  under  the  protection  of  the  name  by  which 
Jesus  spoke  in  the  cradle  and  by  which  He  raised  the  dead 

9  These  are  the  mystical  letters  which  occur  in  the  Koran  text. 


THE  FAMILIAR  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       121 

from  the  grave,  and  by  which  He  opened  the  eyes  of  those 
born  blind  and  cured  the  lepers,  the  name  by  which  He 
made  the  dumb  to  speak.  And  I  protect  him  by  the  Merciful 
God  and  His  great  name  and  His  perfect  words,  which  neither 
riches  nor  the  sinner  can  resist,  from  the  evil  which  comes 
down  from  heaven  or  the  evil  that  ascends  to  heaven  and  from 
the  evil  which  is  found  upon  the  earth  or  which  comes  out 
of  the  earth,  and  from  the  terror  of  the  night  and  of  the  day 
and  from  the  oppression  of  the  night  and  of  the  day;  and  I 
protect  him  from  all  powerful  influences  of  evil  and  from 
the  cursed  devil  and  from  envious  men  and  from  the  wicked 
infidel ;  and  I  protect  him  by  the  Lord  of  Abraham,  the  friend 
of  God,  and  Moses,  the  spokesman  of  God,  and  Jesus  and 
Jacob  and  Isaac  and  Ishmael  and  David  and  Solomon  and 
Job  and  Yunas  and  Aaron  and  Seth  and  Abel  and  Enoch  and 
Noah  and  Elijah  and  Zecahriah  and  John  and  Hud  and 
Elisha  and  Zu  Kifl  and  Daniel  and  Jeremiah  and  Shu'aib 
and  Ilyas  and  Salih  and  Ezra  and  Saul  and  the  Prophet-of- 
the-fish  and  Lokman  and  Adam  and  Eve  and  Alexander  the 
Great  and  Mary  and  Asiah  (Pharaoh's  wife)  and  Bilkis  and 
Kharkil  and  Saf  the  son  of  Berachiah  and  Mohammed  the 
seal  of  the  prophets ;  and  I  protect  him  by  God  than  whom 
there  is  no  other,  who  will  remain  after  all  things  have  per- 
ished, and  by  His  power  and  by  His  might  and  by  His  exalta- 
tion above  all  creatures  and  above  all  devils  male  and  female, 
and  all  manner  of  jinn,  male  and  female,  and  familiar  spirits 
of  both  sexes,  and  wizards  and  witches,  and  deceivers  male 
and  female,  and  infidels  male  and  female,  and  enemies  male 
and  female,  and  ghoul  and  demons,  and  from  the  evil  eye  and 
the  envious,  from  the  evil  in  things  of  ear  and  eye  and  tongue 
and  hand  and  foot  and  heart  and  conscience,  secret  or  open. 
And  I  protect  the  wearer  from  everything  that  goes  out  and 
comes  in,  from  every  breath  that  stirs  of  evil  or  of  movement 
of  man  or  beasts,  whether  he  be  sick  or  well,  awake  or  sleep- 


122      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ing,  and  from  the  evil  of  that  which  dwells  in  the  earth  or 
in  the  clouds  or  in  the  mountains  or  in  the  air  or  the  dust  or 
the  vapor  or  the  caves  or  the  wells  or  the  mines,  and  from  the 
devil  himself,  and  from  the  flying  demons,  and  from  those 
who  work  sorcery  and  from  the  evil  of  the  whirlwind  caused 
by  the  chief  of  the  jinn,  and  from  the  evil  of  those  who  dwell 
in  tombs  and  in  secret  places,  in  pools  and  in  wells  and  from 
him  who  is  with  the  wild  beasts  or  within  the  wombs,  and 
from  him  who  is  an  eavesdropper  of  the  secrets  of  the  angels, 
etc.,  etc'  "  (After  this  the  amulet  closes  with  the  words  of 
the  Moslem  creed  written  three  times,  the  call  to  prayer  twice 
and)  "  May  God's  blessing  and  peace  be  upon  the  Prophet 
and  upon  his  companions  forever  until  the  day  of  judgment. 
Praise  be  to  God  the  Lord  of  the  worlds."  All  this  seems 
the  height  of  folly  to  the  educated  Moslem.  Yet  it  is  taken 
from  one  of  the  best  selling  boohs  on  popular  magic  and  medi- 
cine, printed  in  Cairo,  third  edition,  1328  A.H.  (six  years 
ago)  192  pages,  fine  print,  and  sold  for  ten  cents! 

No  one  can  read  of  these  superstitious  practices  and  beliefs, 
which  are  inseparable  from  the  Koran  and  Tradition,  with- 
out realizing  that  the  belief  in  the  qarina  is  a  terror  by  night 
and  by  day  to  pious  Moslem  mothers  and  their  children.  For 
fear  of  these  familiar  spirits  and  demons  they  are  all  their 
life  time  subject  to  bondage.  A  mother  never  dares  to  leave 
her  infant  child  alone  in  Egypt  for  fear  of  the  qarina.  The 
growing  child  must  not  tramp  on  the  ground  heavily  for  fear 
he  may  hurt  his  qarina.  It  is  dangerous  to  cast  water  on 
the  fire  lest  it  vex  the  qarina.  On  no  account  must  the  child 
be  allowed  to  go  asleep  while  weeping.  Its  every  whim  must 
be  satisfied  for  fear  of  its  evil  mate.  It  is  the  firm  belief 
in  Egypt  that  when  a  mother  has  a  boy  her  qarin  (mascu- 
line) has  also  married  a  qarina  (feminine),  who  at  that  time 
gives  birth  to  a  girl.  This  demon-child  and  its  mother  are 
jealous  of  the  human  mother  and  her  child.     To  pacify  the 


THE  FAMILIAR  SPIRIT  OR  QARINA       123 

qarina  they  sacrifice  a  chicken,  which  must  be  absolutely 
black  and  sacrificed  with  the  proper  ceremonies.  It  is  im- 
possible to  see  the  qarina  except  in  one  way.  Following  a 
Jewish  superstition  (Jewish  Encyclopedia,  art.  demonology), 
a  man  may  see  evil  spirits  by  casting  the  ashes  of  the  foetus 
of  a  black  cat  about  his  eyes  or  by  sprinkling  these  ashes 
around  his  bed  he  can  trace  their  footsteps  in  the  morning. 

When  we  remember  that  only  one-third  of  one  per  cent, 
of  the  women  in  Egypt  are  able  to  read,  we  can  imagine  the 
power  that  is  exercised  over  them  by  the  lords  of  this  super- 
stition, who  sell  amulets  and  prescribe  treatment  for  the  ex- 
pectant mother  and  her  child.  Pitiful  stories  have  come  to 
me  from  those  who  were  eye-witnesses  of  this  swindle  which  is 
being  carried  on  in  every  village  of  the  Delta. 

Al-Ghazali  himself  in  his  great  work,  "  The  Revival  of  the 
Religious  Sciences,"  in  speaking  of  the  virtue  of  patience, 
says :  "  He  who  is  remiss  in  remembering  the  name  of  God 
even  for  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  has  for  that  moment  no 
mate  but  Satan.  For  God  has  said,  i  And  whosoever  turns 
from  the  reminder  (remembrance)  of  the  Merciful  One, 
we  will  chain  to  him  a  devil,  who  shall  be  his  mate  (qarina).' 

We  may  perhaps  appropriately  close  this  chapter  with  what 
one  of  the  learned  men  relates  regarding  the  victory  of  the 
believer  over  his  demon  and  its  powers.  It  may  lead  us  to  a 
new  conception  of  that  petition  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  which 
we  offer  also  for  our  Moslem  brothers  and  sisters :  "  Lead 
us  not  into  temptation  but  deliver  us  from  the  Evil  One." 
"  i  Verily,  the  devil  is  to  you  a  foe,  so  take  him  as  a  foe.' 
This  is  an  order  for  us  from  Him  —  may  He  be  praised !  — 
that  we  may  take  him  as  a  foe.  He  was  asked,  '  How  are  we 
to  take  him  as  a  foe  and  to  be  delivered  from  him  ? '  and  he 
replied,  '  Know,  that  God  has  created  for  every  believer  seven 
forts  —  the  first  fort  is  of  gold  and  is  the  knowledge  of  God ; 
round  it  is  a  fort  of  silver,  and  it  is  the  faith  in  Him ;  round 


124     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

it  is  a  fort  of  iron  and  it  is  the  trust  in  Him ;  round  it  is  a 
fort  of  stones  and  consists  of  thankfulness  and  being  pleased 
with  Him :  round  it  is  a  fort  of  clay  and  consists  of  ordering 
to  do  lawful  things,  prohibiting  to  do  unlawful  things,  and 
acting  accordingly;  round  it  is  a  fort  of  emerald  which  con- 
sists of  truthfulness  and  sincerity  toward  Him ;  and  round  it 
is  a  fort  of  brilliant  pearls,  which  consists  of  the  discipline 
of  the  mind  (soul).  The  believer  is  inside  these  forts  and 
Iblis  outside  them  barking  like  a  dog,  which  the  former  does 
not  mind,  because  he  is  well-fortified  (defended)  inside  these 
forts.  It  is  necessary  for  the  believer  never  to  leave  off  the 
discipline  of  the  mind  under  any  circumstances  or  to  be  slack 
with  regard  to  it  in  any  situation  he  may  be  in,  for  whoever 
leaves  off  the  discipline  of  the  mind  or  is  slack  in  it,  will 
meet  with  disappointment  (from  God),  on  account  of  his 
leaving  off  the  best  kind  of  discipline  in  the  estimation  of 
God,  whilst  Iblis  is  constantly  busy  in  deluding  him,  in  de- 
siring for  his  company,  and  in  approaching  him  to  take  from 
him  all  these  forts,  and  to  cause  him  to  return  to  a  state  of 
unbelief.     We  seek  refuge  with  God  from  that  state !  "  10 

10  "Al     Damiri  —  Hayat-ul-Hayawan."     Vol.     I,     p.     470.     (English 
Translation  by  Jayakar.) 


CHAPTER  VII 

JINN 

When  the  Moslem  loudly  professes  belief  in  the  one  true 
God,  the  second  article  of  the  creed  adds  that  he  also  believes 
in  the  existence  of  God's  angels.  The  word  here  used  for 
angels  is  malaikat,  derived  from  the  Arabic  root  "  alaka/' 
which  means  to  carry  a  message.  The  derivation  therefore 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  English  word  angel.  The  Moslem 
term,  however,  covers  three  distinct  orders  of  created  beings. 

First,  angels  proper.  Heavenly  messengers  imbued  with 
subtle  bodies  and  created  of  light.  They  neither  eat  or  drink 
or  have  any  distinction  of  sex.  Their  general  characteristic 
is  complete  obedience  to  the  will  of  God.  They  are  included 
in  His  army  of  slaves.  Their  place  is  in  Heaven,  and  their 
general  work  consists  in  praising  and  executing  His  com- 
mands. Their  forms  are  beautiful  and  they  are  divided  into 
ranks  and  degrees.  The  four  archangels  whose  names  are 
well-known;  two  recording  angels,  one  on  the  right  shoul- 
der and  the  other  on  the  left,  constantly  watch  the  believer; 
the  guardian  angels ;  the  cherubim ;  the  angels  of  the  tomb  and 
the  special  guardian  of  Paradise  called  Ridwan.  Another 
order  of  spiritual  beings  are  the  devils  with  their  chief,  Satan, 
whose  original  name  was  Azazil.  The  third  class  of  super- 
natural creatures  find  their  place  between  men  and  angels. 
They  are  called  Jinn. 

According  to  Moslem  tradition  the  Jinn  were  created  of 

fire  some  thousands  of  years  before  Adam.     The  Jinn  are 

considered  to  be  like  men,  capable  of  future  salvation  and 

damnation;  they  can  accept  or  reject  God's  message.     They 

are  believers  or  non-believers.     According  to  the  Koran  Mo~ 

125 


126      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

hammed  was  sent  to  convert  the  Jinn  to  Islam  as  well  as 
the  Arabs.  (Suras  72 : 1-7  and  15  :  27.)  The  Jinn  are  re- 
ported to  be  eaves-droppers  and  constantly  trying  to  go  be- 
hind the  curtain  of  heaven  in  order  to  steal  God's  secrets. 
For  this  reason  the  good  angels  throw  stones  at  them,  that  is 
shooting  stars,  and  the  common  name  given  to  these  demonic 
transgressors  is  therefore  "  the  stoned  ones" — Ar-rajim. 
(See  the  commentaries  on  Suras  55:14;  51:56;  11:120, 
etc.)  The  general  abode  of  all  of  these  spirits  or  demons  is 
said  to  be  the  mountains  of  Qaf  which  are  supposed  to  encircle 
the  world. 

Although  Mohammed  destroyed  polytheism  with  its  priest- 
hood and  idols,  the  substratum  of  paganism  remained  and  was 
incorporated  into  Islam  by  his  revelations  on  Jinn.  Well- 
hausen  has  shown  how  belief  in  Jinn  was  universal  in  Ara- 
bia before  Islam.  Men  and  Jinn  are  often  spoken  of  as  the 
Thaqalan,  i.  e.?  the  two  classes  of  material  beings  endowed 
with  souls.  The  etymological  derivation  of  the  word  is  in- 
teresting and  its  cognate  words  such  as  those  for  garden, 
foatus,  shield,  show  the  same  root  meaning:  to  hide,  cover. 
Among  the  names  for  Jinn  the  following  are  female:  ghul, 
si'lat,  'aluq  and  'auluq.  The  male  Jinn  are  called  'afrit  and 
'azab,  etc.  The  word  'afrit  occurs  in  the  Kor'an  (Sur. 
27:39). 

Professor  Macdonald  in  his  fascinating  book,  "  The  Re- 
ligious Attitude  and  Life  in  Islam,"  throws  considerable  light 
on  the  doctrine  of  Jinn  both  before  and  after  the  rise  of 
Islam. 

He  tells  us  how  Hasan  ibn  Thabit,  a  close  friend  of  Mo- 
hammed, and  one  who  praised  him  in  his  poetry,  was  initiated 
into  his  verses  by  a  female  Jinn.  "  She  met  him  in  one  of 
the  streets  of  Medina,  leapt  upon  him,  pressed  him  down  and 
compelled  him  to  utter  three  verses  of  poetry.  Thereafter 
he  was  a  poet,  and  his  verses  came  to  him  as  the  other  Arab 


JIOTT  127 

poets  from  the  direct  inspiration  of  «the  Jinn.  He  refers 
himself  to  his  l  brothers  of  the  Jinn '  who  weave  for  him 
artistic  words,  and  tells  how  weighty  lines  have  been  sent 
down  to  him  from  heaven  in  the  night  season.  The  curious 
thing  is  that  the  expressions  he  uses  are  exactly  those  used  of 
the  i  sending  down/  that  is  revelation  of  the  Qur-an." 

Dr.  Macdonald  points  to  the  close  parallel  between  the 
terms  used  in  the  story  of  Hassan  ibn  Thabit's  inspiration 
and  the  account  we  have  of  the  first  revelation  of  Mohammed. 
"  Just  as  Hassan  was  thrown  down  by  the  female  spirit  and 
had  verses  pressed  out  of  him,  so  the  first  utterances  of  proph- 
ecy were  pressed  from  Mohammed  by  the  angel  Gabriel. 
And  the  resemblances  go  still  farther.  The  angel  Gabriel  is 
spoken  of  as  the  companion  (qarin)  of  Muhammad,  just 
as  though  he  were  the  Jinni  accompanying  a  poet,  and  the 
same  word,  nafatha,  i  blow  upon/  is  used  of  an  enchanter,  of 
a  Jinni  inspiring  a  poet  and  of  Gabriel  revealing  to  Muham- 
mad." 

In  the  preceding  chapter  on  the  Qarina  this  belief  in  a 
double  or  twin  guardian  soul  was  fully  treated.  Here  we 
deal  with  the  subject  in  general  as  unfolded  in  the  Koran 
and  in  orthodox  tradition.  The  Jinn  are  referred  to  in 
the  Koran  in  the  following  passages :  Chapter  VI :  100 : 
Yet  they  made  the  jinn  partners  with  God,  though  he  cre- 
ated them!  and  they  ascribed  to  Him  sons  and  daughters, 
though  they  have  no  knowledge;  celebrated  be  His  praise! 
and  exalted  be  He  above  what  they  attribute  to  Him !  The 
inventor  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth !  how  can  He  have  a 
son,  when  He  has  no  female  companion,  and  when  He  has 
created  everything,  and  everything  He  knows  ?  " 

Chap.  VI :  127  :  "  And  on  that  day  when  He  shall  gather 
them  all  together,  '  O  assembly  of  the  jinns  !  he  have  got  much 
out  of  mankind.'  And  their  clients  from  among  mankind 
shall  say,  '  O  our  Lord !  much  advantage  had  we  one  from 


128      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

another  ' ;  but  we  reached  our  appointed  time  when  thou 
hadst  appointed  for  us.  Says  He,  '  The  fire  is  your  resort, 
to  dwell  therein  for  aye!  save  what  God  pleases;  verily,  thy 
Lord  is  wise  and  knowing !  '  " 

Chapter  VII :  36  :  "  He  will  say,  '  Enter  ye  —  amongst 
the  nations  who  have  passed  away  before  you,  both  of  jinns 
and  men  —  into  the  fire  ' ;  whenever  a  nation  enters  therein, 
it  curses  its  mate;  until,  when  they  have  all  reached  it,  the 
last  of  them  will  say  unto  the  first,  '  O  Our  Lord !  these  it  was 
who  led  us  astray,  give  them  double  torment  of  the  fire ! ' 
He  will  say,  i  To  each  of  you  double !  but  ye  do  not  know.' 
And  the  first  of  them  will  say  unto  the  last,  i  Ye  have  no 
preference  over  us,  so  taste  ye  the  torment  for  that  which  ye 
have  earned ! ' 

Chapter  VII :  177 :  "  We  have  created  for  hell  many  of 
the  jinn  and  of  mankind.'' 

Chapter  XXIII :  70 :  "  Is  it  that  they  did  not  ponder 
over  the  words,  whether  that  has  come  to  them  which  came 
not  to  their  fathers  of  yore  ?  Or  did  they  not  know  their 
apostle,  that  they  thus  deny  him  ?  Or  do  they  say,  '  He  is 
possessed  by  a  jinn  ? '  Nay,  he  came  to  them  with  the  truth, 
and  most  of  them  are  averse  from  the  truth." 

Chapter  XXXIV :  45  :  "  Say,  { I  only  admonish  you  of 
one  thing,  that  ye  should  stand  up  before  God  in  twos  or  sin- 
gly, and  then  that  ye  reflect  that  there  is  no  jinn  in  your  com- 
panion. He  is  only  a  warner  to  you  before  the  keen  tor- 
ment.' " 

Chapter  LV :  14 :  "  He  created  men  of  crackling  clay 
like  the  potters.  And  He  created  the  jinn  from  smokeless 
fire." 

Chap.  LV:32:  "O  assembly  of  jinns  and  mankind!  if 
ye  are  able  to  pass  through  the  confines  of  heaven  and  earth 
tnen  pass  through  them !  —  ye  cannot  pass  through  save  by 
authority !  " 


JINN  129 

The  whole  of  the  chapter  of  the  Jinn  —  namely,  Chapter 
LXXIL  The  important  passages  are  the  earlier  ones: 
"  Say,  ( I  have  been  inspired  that  there  listened  a  company  of 
the  jinn,  and  they  said,  "  We  have  heard  a  marvelous  Qur'an 
that  guides  to  the  right  direction ;  and  we  believe  therein,  and 
we  join  no  one  with  our  Lord,  for,  verily,  He  —  may  the 
majesty  of  our  Lord  be  exalted !  —  has  taken  to  Himself 
neither  consort  nor  son.  .  .  . 

"  '  And,  verily,  a  fool  among  us  spake  against  God  wide  of 
the  mark !  .  .  . 

"  '  And  we  thought  that  men  and  jinn  would  never  speak  a 
lie  against  God.7  .  .  . 

"  And  there  are  persons  amongst  men  who  seek  for  refuge 
with  persons  amongst  the  jinn,  but  they  increase  them  in  their 
perverseness.  And  they  thought,  as  ye  thought,  that  God 
would  not  raise  up  any  one  from  the  dead. 

"  But  we  touched  the  heavens  and  found  them  filled  with  a 
mighty  guard  and  shooting-stars;  and  we  did  sit  in  certain 
seats  thereof  to  listen;  but  whoso  of  us  listens  now  finds  a 
shooting-star  for  him  on  guard." 

And  the  last  chapter  of  the  Koran,  one  of  the  first  chrono- 
logically, reads :  "  Say,  '  I  seek  refuge  in  the  Lord  of  men, 
the  King  of  men,  the  God  of  men,  from  the  evil  of  the  whis- 
perer, who  slinks  off,  who  whispers  into  the  hearts  of  men ! 
—  from  jinns  and  men !  '  " 

The  belief  in  jinn  among  Moslems  is  almost  the  same  as 
the  belief  in  spiritual  beings  —  demons,  sprites,  elves,  etc. — 
in  the  African  religions.  Nassau  writes  (p.  50)  :  "  The 
belief  in  spiritual  beings  opens  an  immense  vista  of  the  purely 
superstitious  side  of  the  theology  of  Bantu  African  religion. 

All  of  the  air  and  the  future  is  peopled  with  a  large  and 
indefinite  company  of  these  beings.  The  attitude  of  the 
Creator  (Anyambe)  toward  the  human  race  and  lower  ani- 
mals being  that  of  indifference  or  of  positive  severity  in 


130     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  OlST  ISLAM 

having  allowed  evils  to  exist,  and  His  indifference  making 
Him  almost  inexorable,  cause  effort  in  the  line  of  worship  to 
be  therefore  directed  only  to  those  spirits  who,  though  they 
are  all  probably  malevolent,  may  be  influenced  and  made  be- 
nevolent." One  has  only  to  compare  this  with  the  popular 
practice  of  Islam  to  see  how  close  is  the  parallel. 

Jinn  are  called  forth  by  whistling  or  blowing  a  pipe.  This 
therefore  is  considered  an  omen  of  evil.  Before  Islam  as 
now  certain  places  were  considered  as  inhabited  by  the  jinn. 
Higar  (the  city  of  the  dead  from  the  days  of  Thamud),  grave- 
yards and  outhouses  are  their  special  resort.  When  entering 
such  places  a  formula  must  be  uttered  to  drive  them  away. 
Jinn  are  specially  busy  at  night  and  when  the  morning-star 
appears  they  vanish.  Wherever  the  soil  is  disturbed  by  dig- 
ging of  wells  or  building  there  is  danger  of  disturbing  the 
jinn  as  well.  Whenever  Mohammed  changed  his  camp  he 
was  accustomed  to  have  the  Takbir  cried  in  order  to  drive 
them  away.  The  whirlwind  is  also  an  evidence  of  the  pres- 
ence of  jinn.  When  the  cock  crows  or  the  donkey  brays  it  is 
because  they  are  aware  of  the  presence  of  jinn  (Bokhari  2 : 
182).  They  also  dwell  in  animals  and,  as  Wellhausen  rightly 
says,  "  The  zoology  of  Islam  is  demonology."  The  wolf, 
the  hyena,  the  raven,  the  hudhvd,  the  owl  are  special  favor- 
ites in  this  conception.  A  specially  close  connection  exists 
between  the  serpent  and  the  jinn;  in  every  snake  there  is  a 
spirit  either  good  or  evil.  Examples  of  the  Prophet's  belief 
in  this  superstition  are  given  by  Wellhausen.1 

In  the  old  Arabian  religion  the  jinn  were  nymphs  and 
sa>tyrs  of  the  desert.  They  were  in  constant  connection  with 
wild  animals  and  often  appeared  in  brute  forms.  Robertson 
Smith  in  his  "  Religion  of  the  Semites/'  shows  us  the  rela- 
tions that  were  supposed  to  exist  between  these  spirits  of  the 
wild  and  the  gods.     He  says :     "In  fact  the  earth  may  be 

i"Reste  Arabischen  Heidentums,"  Berlin,  1897,  p.  153. 


JIKtf  131 

said  to  be  parceled  out  between  demons  and  wild  beasts  on 
the  one  hand,  and  gods  and  men  on  the  other.  To  the  former 
belong  the  untrodden  wilderness  with  all  its  unknown  perils, 
the  wastes  and  jungles  that  lie  outside  the  familiar  tracks 
and  pasture  grounds  of  the  tribe,  and  which  only  the  boldest 
men  venture  upon  without  terror ;  to  the  latter  belong  the  re- 
gions that  man  knows  and  habitually  frequents,  and  within 
which  he  has  established  relations,  not  only  with  his  human 
neighbors,  but  with  the  supernatural  beings  that  have  their 
haunts  side  by  side  with  him.  And  as  man  gradually  en- 
croaches on  the  wilderness  and  drives  back  the  wild  beasts 
before  him,  so  the  gods  in  like  manner  drive  out  the  demons ; 
and  spots  that  were  once  feared,  as  the  habitation  of  mysteri- 
ous and  presumably  malignant  powers,  lose  their  terrors  and 
either  become  common  ground  or  are  transformed  into  the 
seats  of  friendly  deities.  From  this  point  of  view,  the  recog- 
nition of  certain  spots  as  haunts  of  the  gods  is  the  religious 
expression  of  the  gradual  subjugation  of  nature  by  man." 
To  the  Arabs  of  Mohammed's  day  this  teaching  formed  the 
background  of  their  supernatural  world.  The  heathen  of 
Mecca  considered  the  jinn  as  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Allah. 
When  Islam  came  this  relation  was  denied,  but  the  existence 
of  the  jinn  and  their  character  remained  unchanged.  Dr. 
Macdonald  quotes  a  number  of  instances  in  the  history  of 
Islam  where  the  saints  had  intercourse  with  God  through 
Jinn  (pp.  139-152).  We  need  not  marvel  at  these  stories  of 
later  tradition  for  we  find  in  Moslem  books  a  number  of  in- 
stances given  where  Mohammed  himself  held  converse  with 
jinn.  The  following  is  a  typical  example:  "  One  day  the 
Prophet  prayed  the  morning  prayer  with  us  in  the  Mosque 
of  Al-Madina.  Then  when  he  had  finished,  he  said,  '  Which 
of  you  will  follow  me  to  a  deputation  of  the  jinn  to- 
night ? '  But  the  people  kept  silence  and  none  said  anything. 
He  said  i  which  of  you  ? '     He  said  it  three  times ;  then 


132      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

he  walked  past  me  and  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  I  walked 
with  him  until  all  the  mountains  of  al-Madina  were  distant 
from  us  and  we  had  reached  the  open  country.  And  there 
were  men,  tall  as  lances,  wrapped  completely  in  their  mantles 
from  their  feet  up.  When  I  saw  them  a  great  quivering 
seized  upon  me,  until  my  feet  would  hardly  support  me  from 
fear.  When  we  came  near  to  them  the  Prophet  drew  with 
his  great  toe  a  line  for  me  on  the  ground  and  said,  '  sit  in 
the  middle  of  that.'  Then  when  I  had  sat  down,  all  fear 
which  I  had  felt  departed  from  me.  And  the  Prophet  passed 
between  me  and  them  and  recited  the  Qur-an  in  a  loud  voice 
until  the  dawn  broke.  Then  he  came  past  me  and  said, 
'  Take  hold  of  me.'  So  I  walked  with  him,  and  we  went  a 
little  distance.  Then  he  said  to  me,  '  Turn  and  look ;  dost 
thou  see  any  one  where  these  were  ? '  I  turned  and  said,  c  O 
Apostle  of  God,  I  see  much  blackness ! '  He  bent  his  head 
to  the  ground  and  looked  at  a  bone  and  a  piece  of  dung,  and 
cast  both  to  them.  Thereafter  he  said,  '  They  are  a  depu- 
tation of  the  jinn  of  Nasibin;  they  asked  of  me  traveling 
provender;  so  I  appointed  for  them  all  bones  and  pieces  of 
dung.'  " 

Al-Tabarani  relates  on  the  strength  of  respectable  author- 
ities, on  the  authority  of  Abu-Tha'labah  al-Khushani  Al- 
Khushati,  (MishJcat  al-Masabih)  that  the  Prophet  said,  "  The 
genii  are  of  three  kinds;  the  genii  of  one  kind  have  wings 
with  which  they  fly  in  the  air;  those  of  the  second  kind  are 
snakes;  and  those  of  the  third  kind  alight  and  journey  to 
distant  places."  And  again,  "  All  the  Moslems  hold  the  opin- 
ion that  our  Prophet  was  sent  for  the  genii  as  well  as  for 
men.  God  has  said,  '  ( Say )'  This  Kur'an  was  inspired  to 
me  to  warn  you  and  those  it  reaches.'  "  It  reached  the  genii, 
(as  well  as  man).  God  has  also  said,  '  And  when  we  turned 
towards  thee  some  of  the  genii  listening  to  the  Kur'an,  and 
when  they  were  present  at  (the  reading  of)  it,  they  said,  "  Be 


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JINX  133 

silent !  "  '  and  when  it  was  over  they  turned  back  to  their 
people  warning  them." 

Moslem  tradition  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the  dealings  which 
Mohammed  had  with  these  inhabitants  of  the  air  (p.  451). 
"  It  is  related  in  (Kitab  Kliair  ahbuslir  bi-Jchair  al-bashar) 
by  the  Imam,  the  very  learned  Muhammed  b.  Dafar  on  the 
authority  of  Ibn-Mas'ud  who  said,  i  The  Apostle  of  God  said 
to  his  Companions,  being  at  the  time  in  Mecca,  "  Whoever 
of  you  likes  to  be  present  to-night  to  see  the  affair  of  the  genii, 
let  him  come  with  me  " ;  so  I  went  out  with  him,  and  when 
we  reached  the  upper  part  of  Mecca,  he  marked  out  a  boun- 
dary line  for  me,  and  then  going  away  stood  up  and  com- 
menced to  recite  the  Koran,  upon  which  he  was  concealed 
(from  my  view)  by  many  bodily  forms  which  came  between 
me  and  him,  so  much  so  that  I  could  not  hear  his  voice; 
then  they  dissipated  as  clouds  do,  and  went  away,  only  as 
clouds  do,  and  went  away,  only  a  small  company  of  them 
under  ten  (in  number)  remaining  behind.  The  Prophet 
then  came  and  asked  (me),  "  What  has  the  small  company 
done  ? "  and  I  replied,  "  There  they  are,  O  Apostle  of  God." 
He  then  took  a  bone  and  some  dung  and  gave  them  to  them 
and  prohibited  the  use  of  a  bone  or  dung  for  cleaning  oneself 
after  answering  the  call  of  nature.'  " 

A  similar  tradition  is  found  in  the  Sahih  of  Muslim  (pp. 
452-3).  "  We  were  with  the  Prophet  one  night,  and  we 
missed  him ;  so  we  searched  for  him  in  the  vallevs  and  water- 
courses,  and  said  (to  ourselves),  (He  has  been  either  taken 
away  quickly,  as  though  birds  have  carried  him  away,  or  has 
been  beguiled,  taken  away  to  a  place,  and  there  slain.'  We 
spent  that  night  in  the  worst  way  that  any  people  could  spend ; 
but  when  the  morning  dawned,  he  came  from  the  direction  of 
Ilira,  and  we  said  to  him,  '  O  Apostle  of  God,  we  missed  you 
and  therefore  searched  for  you,  but  did  not  find  you  and  spent 
the  night  in  the  worst  manner  that  a  party  could  spend  (it), 


134     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

upon  which  the  Prophet  replied,  '  A  caller  of  the  genii  came 
to  me,  so  I  went  away  with  him  and  recited  the  Koran  to 
them.'  He  then  went  away  with  us  and  showed  us  the  traces 
of  their  fires;  they  (the  genii)  then  asked  him  for  traveling 
provisions  and  he  said  (to  them),  '  For  you  is  every  hone  over 
which  the  name  of  God  has  been  taken  (at  the  time  of  slaugh- 
tering), which  you  may  take  and  which  will  fall  into  your 
hands  with  the  largest  quantity  of  flesh  (over  it),  and  all  the 
globular  dung  as  fodder  for  your  animals.'  The  Prophet 
then  said  (to  us),  '  Do  not  clean  yourselves  with  them  for 
they  are  the  food  of  your  brethren.'  " 

Again  (p.  455),  "  Al-Bukhari,  Muslim,  and  an-Nasa'i  re- 
late, on  the  authority  of  Abu-Hurairah,  that  the  Prophet  said, 
6  An  Afrit  (a  wicked  genius)  out  of  the  genii  came  suddenly 
upon  me  last  night,  desiring  to  disturb  me  in  my  prayer,  so  I 
strangled  him  and  wished  to  tie  him  to  one  of  the  columns  of 
the  mosque,  but  I  remembered  the  words  of  my  brother,  (the 
prophet)  Sulaiman.'  " 

The  following  story  reminds  us  somewhat  of  the  Wandering 
Jew  and  is  also  related  on  good  authority.  It  is  given  by 
Damiri  (p.  461).  "  I  was  with  the  Apostle  of  God  outside 
the  mountains  of  Mecca,  when  an  old  man  approached  lean- 
ing on  a  staff.  The  Prophet  said,  '  The  walk  is  that  of  a 
genius  and  so  is  his  voice,'  and  he  replied,  '  Yes,'  The 
Prophet  then  asked  him,  '  From  what  kind  or  tribe  of  genii  ? ' 
and  he  replied,  '  I  am  Hamah  b.  al-Himmor  b.  Him  b.  Lakis 
b.  Iblis,'  upon  which  the  Prophet  said,  '  I  see  that  only  two 
generations  (fathers)  have  passed  between  you  and  him  (Ib- 
lis),' and  he  replied,  'I  have  eaten  (lived  through)  the 
(whole)  world  excepting  a  little  of  it ;  during  the  nights  when 
Cain  (Kabil)  killed  Abel  (Habil)  I  was  only  a  boy,  a  few 
years  old,  and  used  to  ascend  high  hills  to  look  down,  and  used 
to  incite  discord  between  mankind.'  The  Apostle  of  God 
thereupon  said,  '  Wretched  was  the  action ! '  but  he  replied, 


JIKKT  135 

'  0  Apostle  of  God,  leave  off  reproaching  me,  because  I  am 
one  of  those  who  believed  in  Noah  and  repented  through  him  ' ; 
I  then  reproached  him  for  his  prayer  (against  his  people  — 
al-Kur'an  LXXI:27),  upon  which  he  cried  and  made  me 
cry,  and  said,  '  I  am  by  God,  verily  one  of  those  who  have 
repented  and  I  take  refuge  with  God  from  being  one  of  the 
ignorant  ones.  I  then  met  Hud  and  believed  in  him,  and  I 
met  Abraham  with  whom  I  was  in  the  fire  when  he  was 
thrown  into  it,  and  I  was  with  Joseph  when  he  was  thrown 
into  the  well,  preceding  him  to  the  bottom  of  it ;  I  met  Jethro 
(Shu'aib),  and  Moses,  and  Jesus  the  son  of  Mary,  who  told 
me,  "  If  you  meet  Mohammed  greet  him  with  my  salutation," 
and  now  I  have  delivered  to  you  his  message  and  have  believed 
in  you.'  The  Prophet  thereupon  said,  l  Salutation  to  Jesus 
and  to  you !  What  is  it  you  want,  O  Hamah  % '  and  he  re- 
plied, '  Moses  taught  me  the  Pentateuch,  and  Jesus  taught  me 
the  Gospel  and  now  teach  me  the  Koran.'  "  In  another  ver- 
sion, it  is  said  that  the  Prophet  taught  him  ten  chapters  out 
of  the  Koran. 

So  firm  is  the  belief  in  jinn  that  long  disputes  have  arisen 
regarding  the  question  of  40  people  being  present  in  the  Fri- 
day congregation.  Some  authorities  hold  that  they  are 
counted  among  them  and  others  will  not  accept  the  testimony 
of  those  who  claim  to  see  them.  Special  sections  are  also 
devoted  in  books  of  Moslem  law  regarding  marriage  of  Jinn 
with  human  beings  and  their  rights  of  inheritance ! 

We  also  learn  that  jinn  do  not  enter  a  house  in  which  there 
is  a  citron.  "  It  has  been  related  to  us  regarding  the  Imam 
Abu'l-Husain  'Ali  b.  al-Hasan  b.  al-Husain  b.  Mohammed 
al-Khila'i  —  he  was  so  surnamed  on  account  of  his  selling 
robes  of  honor  and  was  one  of  the  disciples  of  al-Shafi'i ;  his 
grave  is  a  well-known  one  at  al-Karafah,  and  prayers  ad- 
dressed in  its  name  are  answered;  he  was  called  the  kadi  of 
the  jinn, —  as  having  informed  that  they  (the  genii)  used  to 


136     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

come  to  him  and  recite  the  Koran  (for  the  purpose  of  learn- 
ing it)  ;  one  Friday  they  kept  away  from  him,  and  when  they 
came  again  he  asked  them  the  reason  of  that,  and  they  re- 
plied, "  There  was  in  your  house  a  citron,  and  we  do  not  enter 
a  house  in  which  that  fruit  is."  2 

Similar  precautions  against  evil  germs  of  the  spirit  world 
are  common  in  India  and  Egypt  to-day.  In  Egypt  as  in  Mo- 
rocco the  belief  in  jinn  includes  such  things  as  setting  aside 
dishes  of  food  at  dusk  to  propitiate  them.  Others  keep  loaves 
of  bread  under  their  mattresses  with  a  similar  idea ;  while 
meal  and  oil  are  thrown  into  the  corner  of  new  houses  for  the 
jinn.  The  placing  of  knives  and  daggers  under  the  pillows 
of  the  sick  is  for  the  same  purpose. 

Skeat  in  his  book  "  Malay  Magic"  gives  a  complete  account 
of  the  Malay  pantheon  and  shows  how  the  jinn,  good  and 
bad,  dominate  the  thought  of  the  masses.  There  is  an  inter- 
esting account  of  the  origin  of  the  jinn  according  to  Moslem 
belief,  and  he  speaks  of  how  they  may  be  bought  at  Mecca 
at  a  fixed  price.  He  gives  a  picture  of  the  black  and  white 
jinn  mentioned : 

"  The  White  Genie  is  said  to  have  sprung,  by  one  account, 
from  the  blood-drops  which  fell  on  the  ground  when  Habil  and 
Kabil  bit  their  thumbs;  by  another,  from  the  irises  of  the 
snake  Sakatimuna's  eyes  (benih  mata  Sakatimuna),  and  is 
sometimes  confused  with  the  White  Divinity  ('Toh  Mam- 
bang  Puteh),  who  lives  in  the  sun. 

"  The  name  of  his  wife  is  not  mentioned,  as  it  is  in  the 
case  of  the  Black  Genie,  but  the  names  of  three  of  his  chil- 
dren have  been  preserved,  and  they  are  Tanjak  Malim  Kaya, 
Pari  Lang  (lit.  kite-like,  i.e.,  '  winged  ?  Skate),  and  Bintang 
Sutan  (or  Star  of  Sutan). 

"  On  the  whole,  I  may  say  that  the  White  Genie  is  very 

2  All     page     references     are     to     Ad-Damiri's     Hayat     al-Hayawan 
(Jayaker). 


JINN 


137 


m 


A  facsimile  reproduction,  one-half  reduced,  of  a  Chinese  Moslem 
amulet  sold  at  Shanghai  in  the  leading  mosques.  The  central  char- 
acter is  the  Arabic  for  Bismillah  "  In  the  name  of  God."  At  the  four 
corners  are  the  names  of  the  archangels,  Gabriel,  Michail,  Azrail  and 
Asrafil.  On  the  right  side  of  the  central  monogram  is  the  call  to 
prayer  in  the  usual  form.  On  the  left  side  is  the  first  chapter  of  the 
Koran  followed  by  the  six  articles  of  the  orthodox  creed.  On  the 
outer  edge  beginning  at  the  upper  right  hand  corner  is  the  Verse  of 
the  Throne.  This  amulet  is  used  to  defend  the  possessor  against  Jinn, 
&nd  other  evil  influences  and  to  produce  good  health  and  prosperity. 


138     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

seldom  mentioned  in  comparison  with  the  Black  Genie,  and 
that  whereas  absolutely  no  harm,  as  far  as  I  can  find  out,  is 
recorded  of  him,  he  is,  on  the  other  hand,  appealed  to  for 
protection  by  his  worshipers." 

"  A  very  curious  subdivision  of  Genii  into  Faithful  (Jin 
Islam)  and  Infidel  (Jin  Kafir)  is  occasionally  met  with,  and 
it  is  said,  moreover,  that  Genii  (it  is  to  be  hoped  orthodox 
ones)  may  sometimes  be  bought  at  Mecca  from  the  i  Sheikh  al 
Jin  y  (Headman  of  Genii)  at  prices  varying  from  $90  to 
$100  apiece."  3 

One  may  almost  say  of  popular  Islam  what  Dr.  Warneck 
does  of  the  heathen  Battaks  of  Sumatra :  "  The  worship  of 
spirits,  with  the  fear  underlying  it,  completely  fills  the  relig- 
ious life  of  the  Battaks  and  of  all  animistic  peoples.  Their 
whole  daily  life  in  its  minutest  details  is  saturated  with  it. 
At  birth,  name-giving,  courting,  marriage,  house-building, 
seed-time  and  harvest,  the  spirits  must  be  considered." 4 
What  the  Moslem  belief  in  jinn  involves  can  best  be  indicated 
by  giving  here  the  table  of  contents  of  one  of  the  standard 
works  on  the  subject  called  AJcam  ul  Mir j an  fi  Ahka?n  al 
Jann  by  Mohammed  ibn  Abdallah  al-Shibli  who  died  789 
a.  h.  It  is  for  sale  in  every  Moslem  city  throughout  the 
world.  I  follow  the  chapter  headings  without  note  or  com- 
ment: the  reader  will  pardon  its  literalisms: 

Introduction :     Proof  of  the  existence  of  Jinn. 

Moslems,  People  of  the  Book  and  the  infidels  of  the  Arabs 
agree  on  the  existence  of  jinn. 

Great  philosophers  and  physicians  proclaim  their  exist- 
ence— 

Beginning  of  creation  of  jinn. 

The  origin  of  jinn  is  fire  as  the  origin  of  man  is  earth. 

Bodies  of  jinn. 

s  Skeat's  "Malay  Magic,"  pp.  95-96. 

*  "  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism/'  p.  80. 


JINST  139 

Kinds  of  jinn. 

Residence  of  jinn. 

Diversification  of  jinn. 

Demons'  ability  of  diversification. 

God  gave  different  forms  to  angels,  jinn  and  men. 

Some  dogs  are  of  the  jinn. 

Jinn  look  at  the  private  parts  of  man  when  exposed. 

What  prevents  demons  from  sleeping  at  men's  houses. 

Man's  Companion  of  the  jinn,  the  Qarina. 

Jinn  eat  and  drink. 

Some  traditions  concerning  this  subject. 

The  Devil  eats  and  drinks  with  his  left  hand. 

What  prevents  jinn  from  taking  the  food  of  man. 

Jinn  marry  and  beget  children. 

That  jinn  have  responsibilities. 

Were  there  any  prophets  of  jinn  before  the  Prophet  ?  The 
jinn  are  included  in  the  mission  of  the  Prophet. 

The  jinn  went  to  the  Prophet  and  heard  him. 

Sects  of  jinn. 

Worship  of  jinn  with  man. 

Reward  of  jinn. 

Infidels  of  jinn  enter  the  Fire. 

Believers  of  jinn  enter  Paradise. 

Do  the  believers  of  jinn  see  God  in  Paradise?  Prayers 
behind  a  jinni. 

A  jinn  passed  between  the  hands  of  a  praying  man. 

A  man  kills  a  jinni. 

Marriage  of  jinn. 

Jinn  expose  themselves  to  women. 

Some  jinn  prevent  others  from  exposing  themselves  to 
women. 

If  a  jinn  cohabited  with  a  woman  must  she  purify  her- 
self?    The  hermaphrodites  are  the  sons  of  the  jinn. 

What  if  a  jinn  robs  a  woman  of  her  husband? 


140     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Prohibition  of  eating  and  burnt  offerings  of  jinn. 

Jinn  give  fatwas. 

Jinn  preach  to  men. 

Jinn  teach  medicine  to  men. 

Jinn  and  men  quarrel  before  men. 

Jinn  fear  men. 

Jinn  obey  men. 

How  to  get  refuge  against  jinn. 

The  influence  of  the  Koranic  verses  on  the  bodies  of  jinn. 

Why  jinn  obey  amulets. 

Solomon  was  the  first  man  who  took  servants  of  Jinn. 

What  must  be  written  for  the  sick. 

Jinn  reward  men  for  good  and  evil. 

How  jinn  cast  down  men. 

How  jinn  enter  men's  bodies. 

Are  the  motions  of  the  epileptic  due  to  jinn  ?  How  to  heal 
him. 

The  plague  is  of  jinn. 

The  passions  caused  by  Satan. 

The  evil  eye  caused  by  Jinn. 

Its  effect  on  men. 

Jinn  are  bound  with  chains  in  the  month  of  Ramadan. 

The  worship  of  jinn  by  men. 

Jinn  foretell  the  mission  of  the  Prophet.  Heaven  is 
guarded  from  them  by  shooting  stars. 

Jinn  told  of  the  Prophet's  attack. 

Jinn  told  of  his  converts. 

Jinn  told  of  Badr  story. 

Jinn  told  of  the  murdering  of  Said  ibn  Ebada. 

It  is  allowed  to  ask  jinn  concerning  the  past,  not  the  fu- 
ture. 

Testimony  of  jinn  on  the  day  of  Judgment. 

Jinn  lament  and  eugolize  several  dead  Moslems. 


JINN  141 

Was  Satan  of  the  angels  ? 

Did  God  speak  to  Satan  ? 

Satan's  fault  in  saying  he  is  better  than  Adam. 

Satan's  whispering. 

God's  name  drives  away  the  whisper.  Stories  concerning 
that. 

Satan's  call  to  man. 

Evil-doing  is  desired  by  Satan. 

How  Satan  seduces  man. 

Satan  is  always  with  the  one  who  contradicts  others. 

The  learned  man  is  stronger  than  the  pious  before  Satan. 

Satan  weeps  at  the  death  of  the  believer  for  being  unable 
to  seduce  him. 

Angels  wonder  at  the  escape  of  the  believer's  heart  from 
Satan. 

The  four  wailings  of  Satan. 

Satan's  throne  is  over  the  sea. 

Satan's  place. 

Satan  gave  his  five  children  five  positions. 

The  presence  of  Satan  at  cohabitation. 

The  presence  of  Satan  at  the  birth  of  every  child. 

Satan  runs  through  man's  veins. 

Satans  expose  themselves  to  boys  at  night. 

What  diverts  Satan  from  boys. 

Satan  sleeps  on  the  vacant  bed. 

Satan  never  takes  a  siesta. 

Satan  ties  three  knots  over  the  head  of  the  sleeping. 

Bad  dreams  are  from  Satan. 

Satan  never  imitates  the  Prophet. 

The  Sun  arises  and  sets  betwen  the  two  horns  of  Satan. 

The  sitting-place  of  Satan. 

Satan  flees  at  prayer  call. 

Satan  accompanies  the  unjust  judge. 


142     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Satan  walks  in  one  shoe. 

Satan  flees  if  man  repeats  El-Sajada. 

Yawning,  sleeping  and  sneezing  are  from  Satan. 

Haste  is  from  Satan. 

A  donkey  brays  when  he  sees  a  demon. 

Satan  exposes  himself  to  ithe  people  of  the  mosques. 

Satan's  pride  not  to  have  knelt  down  to  Adam  and  to  have 
seduced  him  to  eat  from  the  tree. 

Is  Eden  in  heaven  or  on  earth  ? 

Satan  showed  himself  to  Eve. 

Satan  showed  himself  to  Noah  in  the  ark. 

Satan  showed  himself  to  Abraham  when  he  was  about  to 
offer  up  Isaac. 

Satan  showed  himself  to  Moses. 

Satan  showed  himself  to  Zul  Kifl. 

Satan  showed  himself  to  Job. 

Now  all  this  —  and  nearly  every  chapter  is  a  door  to  a 
world  of  groveling  superstition  and  demonolatry  —  finds  its 
parallel  in  the  beliefs  of  the  animist.  Among  them  the  earth, 
air  and  water  are  supposed  to  be  peopled  with  spirits.  They 
are  most  numerous  in  the  forest  and  in  the  waste  fields,  where 
they  lie  in  wait  for  the  living,  and  afflict  them  with  disease 
and  madness,  or  drag  them  away  to  an  awful  death.  "  They 
prowl  round  the  houses  at  night,  they  spy  through  the  crev- 
ices of  the  partitions  or  come  into  the  house  in  the  form  of 
some  man  or  beast.  Sometimes  in  epidemics  they  can  even 
be  seen.  There  are  men  who  have  the  spiritual  gift  of  being 
able  to  see  spirits  and  souls.  Sometimes  these  men  see  the 
spirit  of  the  dead  stepping  behind  the  coffin  and  perching  the 
soul  of  a  living  man  upon  it  —  the  inevitable  result  of  which 
is,  that  the  man  must  die.  The  number  of  dangerous  spirits 
to  which  human  misery  is  traced  back  is  legion.  Names  are 
given  and  attributes  ascribed  to  spirits  of  particularly  bad 
repute,  such  as  the  spirit  who  causes  cholera :  he  is  of  a  terrific 


JINN  143 

size,  and  carries  a  mighty  club  with  which  he  smites  his  victim 
to  the  earth."  5 

The  spirits  are  mostly  mischievous  and  ill-disposed.  They 
lurk  in  tree-tops  and  all  sorts  of  places  and  cause  disease, 
misfortune  and  death.  It  is  much  more  important  to  keep 
the  hurtful  ones  in  good  humor  than  to  honor  the  kindly  dis- 
posed, who  are,  therefore,  practically  ignored. 

There  are  all  sorts  of  legends  current  among  animists  of 
India  as  to  the  origin  of  these  ghosts  or  spirits,  but  most  of 
them  have  some  admixture  proving  their  comparatively  late 
date.  A  clear  distinction  must  be  made  between  gods  and 
spirits.  There  are  no  gods  in  Animism  proper.  The  word 
god  implies  a  higher  degree  of  personality,  and  where  that  is 
attributed  to  these  spirits  the  influence  of  some  more  advanced 
creed  can  generally  be  traced.  The  impersonal  element  in 
Animism  must  strike  any  one  who  tries  to  investigate  it. 
Undefined  shadowy  powers  with  no  settled  habitation  sigh  in 
the  wind,  whisper  in  the  rustling  leaf  and  lurk  in  silence  in 
the  tree-tops.  They  may  attach  themselves  for  longer  or 
shorter  periods  to  a  particular  object.  Any  striking  natural 
feature  such  as  a  blasted  or  lonely  tree,  a  waterfall,  a  moun- 
tain peak,  is  sure  to  be  thus  inhabited.  But  the  primeval 
forest  is  their  special  domain,  and  as  this  is  cleared  little 
sacred  groves  must  everywhere  be  left  standing.  Constantly 
one  is  told  of  some  tree  or  grove,  "  a  very  strong  spirit  lives 
there,"  but  if  you  ask  its  name  or  origin  none  can  be  assigned. 
Its  existence  and  power  are  undoubted,  and  many  tales  of  the 
mischief  it  has  caused  will  be  quoted  in  proof.  In  every  par- 
ticular the  popular  Moslem  doctrine  of  jinn  is  Animistic, 
except  their  belief  in  Allah  as  Lord  of  jinn,  as  well  as  the 
Lord  of  men.  He  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever  and  yet 
for  fear  of  the  jinn  the  Moslem  masses  are  all  their  lifetime 
subject  to  fear  and  dread  and  bondage. 

6 "The  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism,"  Warneck,  p.  68. 


144     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

What  Warneck  writes  of  the  pagan  tribes  in  Malaysia  is 
not  less  true  of  their  Moslem  neighbors  and  of  Moslem  women 
and  children  in  Arabia  and  the  villages  of  the  Delta.  "  Ex- 
cept in  case  of  necessity/'  he  says,  "  no  one  leaves  the  house 
after  sunset  or  in  moonlight,  when  the  spirits  swarm  in  great 
numbers.  Houses  and  villages  are  shifted  here  and  there  to 
escape  the  influence  of  evil  spirits.  Sick  people  are  carried 
secretly  by  night  into  another  house  to  get  away  from  the  tor- 
menting spirit.  They  prefer  to  deceive  the  spirits.  During 
harvest  loud  singing  and  whistling  are  avoided,  lest  the  spirits 
should  suppose  that  men  were  rejoicing  at  an  abundant  har- 
vest, and  out  of  envy  take  their  share."  6 

When  I  traveled  in  Yemen  nothing  so  distressed  my  Arab 
companions  as  the  awful  habit  of  whistling.  There  are  tra- 
ditions to  prove  that  Mohammed  forbade  any  one  to  blow  a 
pipe  or  whistle  especially  at  night-time. 

In  regard  to  devil-worship  and  the  fear  of  evil  spirits, 
Wilkinson  says  that  in  Malay  "  the  upper  stratum  is,  of 
course,  Moslem;  the  Malays  accept  the  whole  demonology  of 
the  Persians  and  Arabs  and  have  even  added  to  it  by  assum- 
ing mere  demon-epithets  such  as  "  accursed  ?  (malaun)  or 
"  misbegotten  "  (haramzadah,  jadah)  to  be  the  names  of  new 
varieties  of  devils.  The  next  stratum  is  Hindu  because  Han- 
uman  is  still  vaguely  remembered  as  a  dog-faced  or  horse- 
faced  demon,  meteors  are  described  as  the  ghostly  arrows  of 
Arjuna,  and  the  legends  of  the  Indian  Ramayana  have  be- 
come folk-lore  in  the  Northern  States.  The  ancient  litera- 
ture of  the  Malays  is  also  full  of  references  to  Hindu  mythol- 
ogy."    His  concluding  words  are  significant : 

"It  is  comparatively  easy  to  identify  those  portions  of 
Malay  demonology  which  owe  their  existence  to  the  historic 
Moslem  or  Hindu  influences,  but  below  these  upper  strata  of 
beliefs  we  find  further  strata  belonging  to  primeval  religions 

«  "  The  Living  Christ  and  Dying  Heathenism,"  p.  79. 


JINN  145 

of  whose  character  we  know  very  little.  We  are  here  dealing 
with  a  very  mixed  race  of  people  who  have  probably  pre- 
served traditions  handed  down  to  them  from  several  distinct 
sources.  A  few  facts  stand  out  fairly  distinctly.  The  fish- 
ermen along  the  coast  of  the  Peninsula  sacrifice  to  four  great 
spirits  of  the  sea  who  go  by  many  names  but  whose  scope  of 
authority  is  always  the  same;  one  is  the  Spirit  of  Bays,  an- 
other that  of  Banks  or  Beaches,  another  that  of  Headlands, 
and  the  last  and  fiercest  is  the  Spirit  of  Tideways  or  Mid- 
currents.  Most  of  the  designations  given  to  these  ancient 
divinities  are  merely  descriptive  of  their  functions.  So  long 
as  things  go  well,  the  names  of  the  four  Moslem  Archangels 
are  considered  sufficient;  if  things  go  badly  Sanscrit  words 
are  used;  if  matters  become  desperate,  the  fisherman  throws 
prudence  to  the  winds  and  appeals  to  the  spirits  in  pure  In- 
donesian terms  which  they  cannot  fail  to  understand."  7 

7  "  Malay  Beliefs/'  pp.  26-27. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PAGAN  PRACTICES  IN   CONNECTION   WITH   THE  PILGRIMAGE 

When  we  consider  Mecca,  Mohammed's  words  of  prophecy 
in  the  second  chapter  of  his  book  seem  to  have  been  literally 
fulfilled :  "  So  we  have  made  you  the  center  of  the  nations 
that  you  should  bear  witness  to  men."  The  old  pagan  pan- 
theon has  become  the  religious  sanctuary  and  the  goal  of 
universal  pilgrimage  for  one-seventh  of  the  human  race. 

From  Sierra  Leone  to  Canton,  and  from  Tobolsk  to  Cape 
Town,  the  faithful  spread  their  prayer  carpets,  build  their 
houses  (in  fulfillment  of  an  important  tradition,  even  their 
outhouses ! )  and  bury  their  dead  toward  the  meridian  of 
Mecca.  If  the  Moslem  world  could  be  viewed  from  an  aero- 
plane, the  observer  would  see  concentric  circles  of  living  wor- 
shipers covering  an  ever-widening  area,  and  one  would  also 
see  vast  areas  of  Moslem  cemeteries  with  every  grave  dug 
toward  the  sacred  city. 

The  earliest  settlements  at  Mecca  were  undoubtedly  due  to 
the  fact  that  the  caravan  trade  from  South  Arabia  northward 
found  here  a  stopping  place  near  the  spring  of  Zem  Zem,  long 
before  the  time  of  Mohammed,  just  as  the  early  Roman  settle- 
ments at  Wiesbaden  and  other  places  in  Germany  were  so 
located  because  of  the  medicinal  waters. 

The  sacred  Mosque,  Masjid  al  Haram,  with  the  Ka'aba  as 
its  center,  is  located  in  the  middle  of  the  city.  Mecca  lies  in 
a  hot,  sandy  valley,  absolutely  without  verdure  and  sur- 
rounded by  rocky,  barren  hills,  destitute  of  trees  or  even 
shrubs.  The  valley  is  about  300  feet  wide  and  4,000  feet 
long,  and  slopes  towards  the  south.  The  Ka'aba  or  House  of 
God  (Beit  Allah)  is  located  in  the  bed  of  the  valley.     All 

146 


THE  PILGEIMAGE  147 

the  streets  slope  toward  it,  and  it  occupies,  as  it  were,  the 
pit  of  a  theater. 

The  Ka'aba  proper  stands  in  an  oblong  space  250  paces 
long  and  200  broad,  surrounded  by  colonnades,  which  are 
used  as  schools  and  as  a  general  meeting  place  for  pilgrims. 
The  outer  enclosure  has  nineteen  gates  and  six  minarets; 
within  the  enclosure  is  the  well  of  Zem  Zem,  the  great  pulpit, 
the  staircase  used  to  enter  the  Ka'aba  door,  which  is  high 
above  the  ground,  and  two  small  mosques  called  al  Kubat- 
tain.  The  remainder  of  the  space  is  occupied  by  pavements 
and  gravel,  where  prayers  are  said  by  the  four  orthodox 
sects,  each  having  its  own  allotted  space. 

In  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Ka'aba,  about  five  feet  from 
the  ground,  is  the  famous  Black  Stone,  the  oldest  treasure 
of  Mecca.  The  stone  is  a  fragment  resembling  black  vol- 
canic rock,  sprinkled  with  reddish  crystals,  and  worn  smooth 
by  the  touch  of  centuries.  It  was  undoubtedly  an  aerolite 
and  owes  its  reputation  to  its  fall  from  the  sky.  Moslem  his- 
torians do  not  deny  that  it  was  an  object  of  worship  before 
Islam.  In  Moslem  tradition  it  is  connected  with  the  history 
of  the  patriarchs,  beginning  as  far  back  as  Adam. 

The  word  Ka'aba  signifies  a  cube,  although  the  measure- 
ments, according  to  Ali  Bey,  one  of  the  earliest  writers  who 
gives  us  a  scientific  account  of  the  pilgrim  ceremonies,  do  not 
justify  its  being  so  called.  Its  height  is  thirty-four  feet  four 
inches,  and  the  four  sides  measure  thirty-eight  feet  four 
inches,  thirty-seven  feet  two  inches,  thirty-one  feet,  seven 
inches,  and  twenty-nine  feet.  The  cloth  covering  is  renewed 
every  year.  At  present  it  is  made  of  silk  and  cotton  tissue 
woven  at  Khurunfish,  the  factory  site  in  Cairo.  The  time  of 
departure  of  the  annual  procession  which  takes  it  to  Mecca 
is  one  of  the  great  feast  days  in  Cairo. 

Formerly,  we  are  told,  the  whole  of  the  Koran  text  was 
woven  into  the  Ka'aba  covering.     Now  the  inscription  con- 


148      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

tains  the  words,  "  Verily,  the  first  house  founded  for  mankind 
to  worship  in  is  that  at  Mecca,  a  blessing  and  a  direction  to 
all  believers."  Seven  other  short  chapters  of  the  Koran  are 
also  woven  into  this  tapestry,  namely,  the  Chapter  of  the 
Cave,  Miriam,  Al  Amran,  Repentance,  T.H.,  Y.S.,  and 
Tabarak. 

The  final  duty  of  righteous  Moslems  and  the  most  important 
ceremony  of  the  Moslem  religion  is  the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca. 
The  pilgrimage  (Hajj)  to  Mecca  is  not  only  one  of  the 
pillars  of  the  religion  of  Islam,  but  it  has  proved  one  of  the 
strongest  bonds  of  union  and  has  always  exercised  a  tre- 
mendous influence"  as  a  missionary  agency.  Even  to-day  the 
pilgrims  who  return  from  Mecca  to  their  native  villages  in 
Java,  India  and  "West  Africa  are  fanatical  ambassadors  of 
the  greatness  and  glory  of  Islam.  From  an  ethical  stand- 
point, the  Mecca  pilgrimage,  with  its  superstitious  and 
childish  ritual,  is  a  blot  upon  Mohammedan  monotheism. 
But  as  a  great  magnet  to  draw  the  Moslem  world  together 
with  an  annual  and  ever-widening  esprit  de  corps,  the  Mecca 
pilgrimage  is  without  a  rival.  .  .  .  For  the  details  of  the 
pilgrimage  one  must  read  Burckhardt,  Burton,  or  other  of 
the  score  of  travelers  who  have  risked  their  lives  in  visiting 
the  forbidden  cities  of  Islam.  The  record  of  their  heroism 
has  been  compiled  in  one  short  volume  by  Augustus  Balli 
under  the  title  "  Christians  at  Mecca  "  (Heinemann,  London, 
1909).  The  earliest  European  pilgrim  was  Ludovico  Bar- 
tema  who  reached  Mecca  in  1503.  The  most  accurate  in  his 
description  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  Hajj  is  Burckhardt 
(1814-5),  the  most  fascinating,  Burton  (1853),  and  it  re- 
mained for  a  Hollander,  Christiaan  Snouck  Hurgronje,  to 
give  us  a  history  of  Mecca,  a  photographic  atlas  of  the  city, 
and  a  philosophical  dissertation  on  the  pilgrimage.1     "  It  is 

i "  Het   Mekkaansche    Feest,"    Leiden,    1880   and   Mekka    2    vols,    in 
German.     The  latter  book  is  accompanied  by  a  photographic  atlas. 


THE  PILGKIMAGE  149 

possible/'  says  Ralli,  "  to  divide  Christian  pilgrims  to  Mecca 
into  three  groups.  First  come  those  from  Bartema  to  Pitts, 
inclusive,  whom  I  have  already  compared  to  a  cloud  of  light 
skirmishers.  They  are  followed  by  the  votaries  of  science  — j- 
Badia,  Seetzen,  Burckhardt,  Hurgronje.  In  a  parallel 
column  advance  those  impelled  by  love  of  adventure  or 
curiosity  —  von  Maltzan,  Bicknell,  Keane,  Courtellemont. 
Burton  belongs  to  both  the  latter  groups ;  Wallin  to  the  first, 
but  he  fell  on  evil  days ;  and  it  is  hard  to  classify  Roches. 

"  It  would  tax  *the  ingenuity  of  most  of  us  to  find  such 
another  heterogeneous  collection  of  men  devoted  to  one  theme. 
It  is  a  far  cry  from  the  humble  Pitts  to  the  princely  Badia, 
from  the  scientific  Burckhardt  to  the  poetical  Courtellemont, 
from  the  impersonal  Hurgronje  to  the  autobiographical 
Bodies,  from  the  obscure  Wild  to  the  world-famous  Burton. 
Such  contrasts  might  be  pursued  in  the  written  records  that 
remain;  between  Burckhardt's  orderly  accumulation  of  facts 
and  Keane's  rollicking  narrative.  But  suffice  it  that  the 
members  of  this  select  company,  differing  in  time  and  coun- 
try, aim  and  temperament,  are  united  by  the  single  bond  of  a 
strange  adventure."  This  strange  adventure  led  them  all  to 
observe  the  pagan  rites  of  the  great  monotheistic  faith  of 
Islam,  of  which  the  ceremonies  in  brief  are  as  follows : 
After  donning  the  garb  of  a  pilgrim  and  performing  the  legal 
ablutions,  the  Hajji  visits  the  sacred  mosque  and  kisses  the 
Black  Stone.  He  then  runs  around  the  Ka'aba  seven  times 
—  thrice  very  rapidly  and  four  times  very  slowly  —  in  imita- 
tion of  the  motions  of  the  planets.  Next  he  offers  a  prayer : 
"  O  Allah,  Lord  of  the  Ancient  House,  free  my  neck  from 
hell-fire,  and  preserve  me  from  every  evil  deed;  make  me 
contented  with  the  daily  food  Thou  givest  me,  and  bless  me 
in  all  Thou  hast  granted."  At  "  the  place  of  Abraham  "  he 
also  prays ;  he  drinks  water  from  the  sacred  well  of  Zem  Zem 
and  again  kisses  the  Black  Stone.     Then  the  pilgrim  runs 


150      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

between  the  hills  of  Safa  and  Marwa.  He  visits  Mina  and 
Arafat,  a  few  miles  from  Mecca,  and  at  the  latter  place 
listens  to  a  sermon.  On  his  return  he  stops  at  Mina  and 
stones  three  pillars  of  masonry  known  as  the  "  Great  Devil," 
the  "  middle  pillar  "  and  the  "  first  one  "  with  seven  small 
pebbles.  Finally,  there  is  the  sacrifice  of  a  sheep  or  other 
animal  as  the  climax  of  the  pilgrim's  task.  Snouck  Hur- 
gronje  and  Dozy  have  given  us  the  theory  of  the  origin  of 
these  strange  ceremonies  in  their  monographs.  The  whole 
pilgrimage  is,  in  the  words  of  Kuenen,  "  a  fragment  of  imr 
comprehensible  heathenism  taken  up  undigested  into  Islam/* 
And  as  regards  the  veneration  for  the  Black  Stone,  there  is  a 
tradition  that  the  Caliph  Omar  remarked :  "  By  God,  I 
know  that  thou  art  only  a  stone  and  canst  grant  no  benefit 
or  do  no  harm.  And  had  I  not  known  that  the  Prophet 
kissed  thee  I  would  not  have  done  it."  (Nisai,  Vol.  II, 
p.  38.) 

There  are  two  books  that  may  be  considered  authoritative 
on  the  ceremonies  of  the  pilgrimage :  Wellhausen's  "  Reste 
Arabischen  Heidentums,"  pp.  68-249,  and  Burton's  "  Pil- 
grimage to  Al  Medina  and  Mecca." 

Burton's  description  of  the  ritual  is  complete: 
"  We  then  advanced  towards  the  eastern  angle  of  the 
Ka'abah,  in  which  is  inserted  the  Black  Stone ;  and,  standing 
about  ten  yards  from  it,  repeated  with  upraised  hands, 
'  There  is  no  god  but  Allah  alone,  Whose  Covenant  is  Truth, 
and  Whose  Servant  is  Victorious.  There  is  no  god  but 
Allah,  without  Sharer;  His  is  the  Kingdom,  to  Him  be 
Praise,  and  He  over  all  Things  is  potent.'  After  which  we 
approached  as  close  as  we  could  to  the  stone.  A  crowd  of 
pilgrims  preventing  our  touching  it  that  time,  we  raised  our 
hands  to  our  ears,  in  the  first  position  of  prayer,  and  then 
lowering  them,  exclaimed,  'O  Allah  (I  do  this),  in  Thy 
Belief,  and  in  verification  of  Thy  Book,  and  in  Pursuance  of 


THE  PILGKIMAGE  151 

Thy  Prophet's  Example  —  may  Allah  bless  Him  and  pre- 
serve !  0  Allah,  I  extend  my  Hand  to  Thee,  and  great  is  my 
Desire  to  Thee !  0  accept  Thou  my  Supplication  and 
diminish  my  Obstacles,  and  pity  my  Humiliation,  and  gra- 
ciously grant  me  Thy  pardon !  '  Aiter  which,  as  we  were  still 
unable  to  reach  the  stone,  we  raised  our  hands  to  our  ears, 
the  palms  facing  the  stone,  as  if  touching  it,  recited  the 
various  religious  formulae,  the  Takbir,  the  Tahlil,  and  the 
Hamdilah,  blessed  the  Prophet,  and  kissed  the  finger-tips  of 
the  right  hand.  The  Prophet  used  to  weep  when  he  touched 
the  Black  Stone,  and  said  that  it  was  the  place  for  the  pouring 
forth  of  tears.  According  to  most  authors,  the  second  Caliph 
also  used  to  kiss  it.  For  this  reason  most  Moslems,  except  the 
Shafa'i  school,  must  touch  the  stone  with  both  hands  and 
apply  their  lips  to  it,  or  touch  it  with  the  fingers,  which 
should  be  kissed,  or  rub  the  palms  upon  it,  and  afterwards 
draw  them  down  the  face.  Under  circumstances  of  difficulty, 
it  is  sufficient  to  stand  before  the  stone,  but  the  Prophet's 
Sunnat,  or  practice,  was  to  touch  it.  Lucian  mentions  adora- 
tions of  the  sun  by  kissing  the  hand. 

"  Then  commenced  the  ceremony  of  Tawaf,  or  circumam- 
bulation,  our  route  being  the  Mataf  —  the  low  oval  of  polished 
granite  immediately  surrounding  the  Ka'abah.  I  repeated, 
after  my  Mutaivwif,  or  cicerone,  ( In  the  Name  of  Allah,  and 
Allah  is  omnipotent !  I  purpose  to  circuit  seven  circuits  unto 
Almighty  Allah,  glorified  and  exalted ! '  This  is  technically 
called  the  Niyat  (intention)  of  Tawaf.  Then  we  began  the 
prayer,  '  O  Allah  (I  do  this),  in  Thy  belief,  and  in  Verifica- 
tion of  Thy  Book,  and  in  Faithfulness  to  Thy  Covenant,  and 
in  Perseverance  of  the  Example  of  the  Apostle  Mohammed 
—  may  Allah  bless  Him  and  preserve !  '  till  we  reached  the 
place  Al-Multazem,  between  the  corner  of  the  Black  Stone 
and  the  Ka'abah  door.  Here  we  ejaculated,  e  O  Allah,  Thou 
hast  Eights,  so  pardon  my  transgressing  them.'     Opposite 


152     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

the  door  we  repeated,  i  O  Allah,  verily  the  House  is  Thy 
House,  and  the  Sanctuary  Thy  Sanctuary,  and  the  Safeguard 
Thy  Safeguard,  and  this  is  the  Place  of  him  who  flies  to 
Thee  from  (hell)  Eire!  At  the  little  building  called 
Makam  Ibrahim,  who  took  Refuge  with  and  fled  to  Thee 
from  the  Fire !  —  O  deny  my  Flesh  and  Blood,  my  Skin  and 
Bones  to  the  (eternal)  Flames !  '  As  we  paced  slowly  round 
the  north  or  Irak  corner  of  the  Ka'abah  we  exclaimed,  '  O 
Allah,  verily  I  take  Refuge  with  Thee  from  Polytheism,  and 
Disobedience,  and  Hypocrisy,  and  evil  Conversation,  and 
evil  Thoughts  concerning  Family,  and  Property  and 
Progeny !  '  When  fronting  the  Mizab,  or  spout,  we  repeated 
the  words,  '  O  Allah,  verily  I  beg  of  Thee  Faith  which  shall 
not  decline,  and  a  Certainty  which  shall  not  perish,  and  the 
good  Aid  of  Thy  Prophet  Mohammed  —  may  Allah  bless  Him 
and  preserve !  O  Allah,  shadow  me  in  Thy  Shadow,  on 
that  Day  when  there  is  no  Shade  but  Thy  Shadow,  and  cause 
me  to  drink  from  the  Cup  of  Thine  Apostle  Mohammed  — 
may  Allah  bless  Him  and  preserve!  that  pleasant  Draught 
after  which  is  no  Thirst  to  all  Eternity,  O  Lord  of  Honor 
and  Glory !  y  Turning  the  west  corner,  or  the  Rukn  al- 
Shami,  we  exclaimed,  '  O  Allah,  make  it  an  acceptable  Pil- 
grimage, and  a  Forgiveness  of  Sins,  and  a  laudable  Endeavor, 
and  a  pleasant  Action  (in  Thy  sight),  and  a  store  which 
perisheth  not,  O  Thou  Glorious !  O  Thou  Pardoner ! ' 
This  was  repeated  thrice,  till  we  arrived  at  the  Yamani,  or 
south  corner,  where  the  crowd  being  less  importunate,  we 
touched  the  wall  with  the  right  hand,  after  the  example  of 
the  Prophet,  and  kissed  the  finger-tips.  Finally,  between 
the  south  angle  and  that  of  the  Black  Stone,  where  our  circuit 
wo  aid  be  completed,  we  said,  i  O  Allah,  verily  I  take  refuge 
with  Thee  from  Infidelity,  and  I  take  Refuge  from  the 
Tortures  of  the  Tomb,  and  from  the  Troubles  of  Life  and 
Death.     And  I  fly  to  Thee  from  Ignominy  in  this  World  and 


THE  PILGRIMAGE  153 

the  Next,  and  I  implore  Thy  Pardon  for  the  Present  and  for 
the  Future.  O  Lord,  grant  to  me  in  this  Life  Prosperity, 
and  in  the  next  Life  Prosperity,  and  save  me  from  the 
Punishment  of  Fire.' 

"  Thus  finished  a  Shaut,  or  single  course  round  the  house. 
Of  these  we  performed  the  first  three  at  the  pace  called 
Harwalah,  very  similar  to  the  French  pas  gymnastique,  or 
Tarammul,  that  is  to  say,  '  moving  the  shoulders  as  if  walk- 
ing in  sand.'  The  four  latter  are  performed  in  Ta'ammul, 
slowly  and  leisurely,  the  reverse  of  the  Sai,  or  running. 
These  seven  Ashwat,  or  courses,  are  called  collectively  the 
Usbu."  (Burton's  "  Pilgrimage  to  Al  Madinah  and  Mecca/' 
pp.  164-167.) 

He  continues  (p.  169):  "Having  kissed  the  stone  we 
fought  our  way  through  the  crowd  to  the  place  called  Al- 
Multazem.  Here  we  pressed  our  stomachs,  chests,  and  right 
cheeks  to  the  Ka'abah,  raising  our  arms  high  above  our  heads 
and  exclaiming,  (  O  Allah !  0  Lord  of  the  Ancient  House, 
free  my  Neck  from  Hell-fire,  and  preserve  me  from  every  ill 
Deed,  and  make  me  contented  with  that  daily  bread  which 
Thou  has  given  to  me,  and  bless  me  in  all  Thou  hast 
granted  ! '  Then  came  the  Istighf  ar,  or  begging  of  pardon : 
1 1  beg  Pardon  of  Allah  the  Most  High,  who,  there  is  no 
other  God  but  He,  the  Living,  the  Eternal,  and  unto  Him  I 
repent  myself !  '  After  which  we  blessed  the  Prophet,  and 
then  asked  for  ourselves  all  that  our  souls  most  desired." 

Prayer  is  granted  at  fourteen  places  besides  Al-Multazem, 
all  of  them  connected,  as  we  shall  see,  with  the  old  idolatry 
of  Arabia.     Viz. : 

1.  At  the  place  of  circumambulation. 

2.  Under  the  Mizab,  or  spout  of  the  Ka'aba. 

3.  Inside  the  Ka'aba. 

4.  At  the  well  Zem  Zem. 


154     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

5.  Behind  Abraham's  place  of  prayer. 

6.  On  Mt.  Safa. 

7.  On  Mt.  Marwah. 

8.  During  the  ceremony  called  "  Al-Sai." 

9.  Upon  Mount  Arafat. 

10.  At  Muzdalifah. 

11.  InMuna. 

12.  During  the  devil-stoning. 

13.  On  first  seeing  the  Ka'aba. 

14.  At  the  Hatim  of  Hi  jr. 

"  Muna,"  says  Burton  (Vol.  II,  p.  180),  "  more  classically 
called  Mina,  is  a  place  of  considerable  sanctity.  Its  three 
standing  miracles  are  these :  The  pebbles  thrown  at  '  the 
Devil '  return  by  angelic  agency  to  whence  they  came ;  during 
the  three  Days  of  Drying  Meat  rapacious  beasts  and  birds 
cannot  prey  there;  and  lastly,  flies  do  not  settle  upon  the 
articles  of  food  exposed  so  abundantly  in  the  bazars.  Dur- 
ing pilgrimage  houses  are  let  for  an  exorbitant  sum,  and  it 
becomes  a  '  World's  Fair '  of  Moslem  merchants.  At  all 
other  seasons  it  is  almost  deserted,  in  consequence,  says 
popular  superstition,  of  the  Rajm  or  (diabolical)  lapidation. 
Distant  about  three  miles  from  Meccah,  it  is  a  long,  narrow, 
straggling  village,  composed  of  mud  and  stone  houses  of  one 
or  two  stories,  built  in  the  common  Arab  style.  Traversing 
a  narrow  street,  we  passed  on  the  left  the  Great  Devil,  which 
shall  be  described  at  a  future  time.  After  a  quarter  of  an 
hour's  halt,  spent  over  pipes  and  coffee,  we  came  to  an  open 
space,  where  stands  the  Mosque  l  Al-Khayf.'  Here,  accord- 
ing to  some  Arabs,  Adam  lies,  his  head  being  at  one  end  of 
one  long  wall,  and  his  feet  at  another,  whilst  the  dome  covers 
his  omphalic  region.  After  passing  through  the  town  we 
came  to  Batn  al-Muhassir,  '  The  Basin  of  the  Troubler ' 
(Satan)  at  the  beginning  of  a  descent  leading  to  Muzdalifah 


THE  PILGEIMAGE  155 

(the  Approacher),  where  the  road  falls  into  the  valley  of 
the  Arafat  torrent. 

"  At  noon  we  reached  the  Muzdadifah,  also  called  Masha  al- 
Haram,  the  '  Place  dedicated  to  religious  Ceremonies.'  It  is 
known  in  Al-Islam  as  '  the  Minaret  without  the  Mosque/ 
opposed  to  Mas j  id  Nimrah,  which  is  '  the  Mosque  without  the 
Minaret.'  Half-way  between  Muna  and  Arafat,  it  is  about 
three  miles  from  both." 

Burton:  (Vol.  II,  pp.  180-7) :  "  Arafat,  anciently  called 
Jabal  Hal,  ' the  Mount  of  Wrestling  in  Prayer '  and  now 
Jabal  al-Rahmah,  the  '  Mount  of  Mercy '  is  a  mass  of  coarse 
granite  split  into  large  blocks,  with  a  thin  coat  of  withered 
thorns." 

(Pp.  188-9)  :  "  The  Holy  Hill  owes  its  name  and  honors 
to  a  well-known  legend.  When  our  first  parents  forfeited 
Heaven  by  eating  wheat,  which  deprived  them  of  their 
primeval  purity,  they  were  cast  «elown  upon  earth.  The  ser- 
pent descended  at  Ispahan,  the  peacock  at  Kabul,  Satan  at 
Bilbays  (others  say  Semnan  and  Seistan),  Eve  upon  Arafat 
and  Adam  at  Ceylon.  The  latter,  determining  to  seek  his 
wife,  began  a  journey,  to  which  earth  owes  its  present  mottled 
appearance.  Wherever  our  first  father  placed  his  foot  — 
which  was  large  —  a  town  afterwards  arose ;  between  strides 
will  always  be  '  country.'  Wandering  for  many  years,  he 
came  to  the  Mountain  of  Mercy,  where  our  common  mother 
was  continually  calling  upon  his  name,  and  their  recognition 
gave  the  place  the  name  of  Arafat.  Upon  its  summit,  Adam, 
instructed  by  the  archangel  Gabriel,  erected  a  Mada'a,  or 
place  of  prayer:  and  between  this  spot  and  the  Nimrah 
Mosque  the  couple  abode  till  death." 

Burton:  (Vol.  II,  pp.  203-205) :  "We  found  a  swarm- 
ing crowd  in  the  narrow  road  opposite  the  '  Jamrat-al- 
Akabah,'  or,  as  it  is  vulgarly  called,  the  Shaytan  al-Kabir  — 
the  '  Great  Devil.'     These  names  distinguish  it  from  another 


156      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

pillar,  the  i  Wusta,'  or  Central  Place  (of  stoning),  built  in 
the  middle  of  Muna,  and  a  third  at  the  eastern  end,  l  Al- 
Aula  '  or  the  i  First  Place.' 

a  The  '  Shaytan  al-Kabir '  is  a  dwarf  buttress  of  rude 
masonry,  about  eight  feet  high  by  two-and-a-half  broad,  placed 
against  a  rough  wall  of  stones  at  the  Meccan  entrance  to 
Muna.  Finding  an  opening,  we  approached  within  about 
five  cubits  of  the  place,  and  holding  each  stone  between  the 
thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  right  hand,  we  cast  it  at  the 
pillar,  exclaiming,  '  In  the  name  of  Allah,  and  Allah  is 
Almighty!  (I  do  this)  in  Hatred  of  the  Fiend  and  to  his 
Shame.'  After  which  came  the  Tahlil  and  the  c  Sana '  or 
praise  to  Allah.  The  seven  stones  being  duly  thrown,  we 
retired,  and  entering  the  barber's  booth,  took  our  places  upon 
one  of  the  earthen  benches  around  it.  This  barber  shaved 
our  heads,  and,  after  trimming  our  beards  and  cutting  our 
nails,  made  us  repeat  these  words :  '  I  purpose  loosening 
my  Ihram  according  to  the  Practice  of  the  Prophet,  Whom 
may  Allah  bless  and  preserve !  O,  Allah,  make  unto  me  in 
every  Hair,  a  Light,  a  Purity,  and  a  generous  Keward ! 
In  the  name  of  Allah,  and  Allah  is  Almighty ! '  " 

After  following  all  these  details  of  the  ceremony  with 
Burton  for  our  guide,  we  are  ready  to  ask  the  why  and  where- 
fore of  the  performances. 

If  the  Jews  and  Christians  had  hearkened  to  the  call  of 
Mohammed  at  Medina  when  he  made  the  Kibla,  Jerusalem, 
the  course  of  Moslem  history  might  have  been  that  of  an 
oriental  Unitarian  sect.  But  when  the  Prophet  changed  the 
Kibla  from  Jerusalem  to  Mecca  he  compromised  with  idolatry 
and  the  result  was  that  Islam  at  Us  very  center  has  remained 
pagan.  The  transformation  of  the  old  Pantheon  of  the  Arabs 
into  the  house  of  God  which  Abraham  rebuilt  and  which 
Adam  himself  founded  was  the  legend  to  justify  the  adoption 
of  these  pagan  practices.     Other  ceremonies  which  had  noth- 


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THE  PILGKIMAGE  157 

ing  to  do  with  the  Ka'aba  but  which  were  performed  at  cer- 
tain places  near  Mecca  were  also  adapted  to  the  new  religion. 
In  the  tenth  year  A.  H.  Mohammed  made  his  pilgrimage  to 
Mecca,  the  old  shrine  of  his  forefathers,  and  everv  detail  of 
superstitious  observance  which  he  fulfilled  has  become  the 
norm  in  Islam.  As  Wellhausen  says  the  result  is  that  "  we 
now  have  the  stations  of  a  Calvary  journey  without  the  his- 
tory of  the  Passion."  Pagan  practices  are  explained  away  by 
inventing  Moslem  legends  attributed  to  Bible  characters,  and 
the  whole  is  an  incomprehensible  jumble  of  fictitious  lore. 

The  Ka'aba  itself  in  its  plan  and  structure  is  a  heathen 
temple.  The  covering  of  the  Ka'aba  goes  back  to  old 
heathenism.  The  Temple  was  the  Bride  and  she  received 
costly  clothing.  The  building  stands  with  its  four  corners 
nearly  to  the  points  of  the  compass ;  not  the  sides  of  the 
building,  but  the  corners  point  N.S.E.  and  W.  We  may 
therefore  expect,  as  is  the  case,  that  the  holy  objects  were  at 
the  corners  of  the  building.  The  Black  Stone  is  in  the 
E.S.E.  corner;  the  other  four  corners  also  had  sacred  stones 
which  are  still  places  of  special  worship.  The  front  of  the 
Ka'aba  is  the  N.E.  side,  and  the  door  is  not  in  the  middle 
but  near  the  Black  Stone.  Between  the  Stone  and  the  door 
is  the  Multazam,  the  place  where  the  pilgrim  presses  himself 
against  the  building,  hugs  the  curtain  and  calls  upon  God. 
On  the  N.W.  side  there  is  an  enclosure  in  the  shape  of  a 
half-circle  called  the  Hajr,  or  the  Hatim.  Wellhausen  has  a 
note  (p.  74)  to  show  that  this  enclosure  was  formerly  a  part 
of  the  Ka'aba  but  that  shortly  before  Mohammed's  time  the 
building  was  restored  on  a  smaller  foundation.  This  en- 
closure, therefore,  marks  the  original  size  of  the  heathen 
temple.  There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  the  Black  Stone 
was  the  real  idol  of  the  Ka'aba.  Bait  Allah  and  Masjid, 
according  to  Wellhausen,  originally  signified  "  the  stone  "  and 
not  "  the  temple."     In  ancient  days  there  was  an  empty  well 


158      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

inside  the  Ka'aba  to  receive  votive  offerings.  In  front  of 
the  well  stood  a  human  image,  that  of  the  god  Hobal.  One 
may  still  see  a  similar  worship  at  the  tomb  of  Eve,  near 
Jiddah,  where  there  is  a  well  for  offerings  under  the  middle 
dome  which  is  over  the  navel  of  Mother  Eve.  It  has  been 
thought  that  Hobal,  the  main  god  of  the  Ka'aba,  was  perhaps 
"  Allah  "  himself.  Others  say  that  the  word  has  connection 
with  Baal  the  sun-god.  When  we  remember  the  circumam- 
bulation  of  the  Ka'aba  seven  times,  three  times  rapidly  and 
four  times  more  slowly  in  imitation  of  the  inner  and  outer 
planets,  it  is  not  strange  to  find  Baal  the  sun-god  chief  of  the 
temple.  The  present  place  called  Maqam  Ibrahim  (Sura 
2: 119)  was  originally  a  stone  for  offierings.  A  short  dis- 
tance outside  of  Mecca  are  the  two  hills  Al  Safa  and  Al 
Marwa ;  both  of  these  names  signify  "  a  stone,"  i.  e.,  an  idol. 
The  road  between  them  runs  almost  parallel  with  the  front  of 
the  Ka'aba  and  directly  east  is  the  well  of  Zem  Zem,  originally 
also  a  place  for  sacred  offerings.  It  contained  two  golden 
gazelles  among  other  things.  There  are  many  other  sacred 
places  in  the  vicinity  formerly  associated  with  idol-worship 
now  transformed  by  Moslem  legend  into  graves  of  the  saints, 
etc.  Arafat  and  Muzdalif a  are  at  present  only  stations  where 
one  stops  on  the  pilgrimage.  No  offerings  are  brought  there. 
Formerly  Muzdalifa  was  a  place  of  fire-worship.  Wackidi 
savs :  "  Mohammed  rode  from  Arafat  towards  the  fire 
kindled  in  Muzdalifa ;  this  is  the  hill  of  the  holy  fire."  The 
mountain  was  called  Quzah  and  Wellhausen  thinks  it  may 
have  been  the  place  of  the  thunder-god  whose  sign  was  the 
rainbow.      (Quzah.) 

The  early  history  of  Mecca  shows  that  it  was  a  place  of 
pilgrimage  long  before  Mohammed.  The  battle  of  Islam 
for  the  conquest  of  Arabia  was  determined  at  Mecca.  This 
was  the  capture  of  the  Pagan  center.  In  conquering  it  Islam 
was  itself  conquered.     "  There  is  no  god  but  Allah  "—  and 


THE  PILGKIMAGE  159 

the  old  idol-shrines  at  Mecca?  Dozy  has  shown  that  Mecca 
was  an  old  Jewish  center,  but  his  conclusions  have  been  dis- 
puted by  later  writers.4 

Not  only  the  pilgrimage  itself,  but  its  calendar  goes  back 
to  paganism.  The  names  of  the  Arabic  months  have  many 
of  them  a  pagan  significance.  Of  course  the  calendar  was 
solar,  but  Mohammed  changed  it  into  a  lunar  calendar. 
Moharram  was  the  month  of  the  great  feast.  Tree  worship 
and  stone  worship  as  we  shall  see  later  belong  to  the  old 
heathenism.  In  Nagran  a  date-palm  served  as  god.  A 
number  of  sacred  trees  or  groves  between  Mecca  and  Medina 
which  formerly  were  idol  temples,  are  now  visited  because 
"  Mohammed  resided  there,  prayed  there,  or  had  his  hair  cut 
under  them."      (See  Bokhari,  1 :  68-3  :  36.) 

Prof.  A.  J.  Wensinck  in  writing  on  the  Hajj  in  the 
Encyclopedia  of  Islam  (Vol.  II,  p.  22  fT.)  gives  it  as  his 
opinion  that  "  great  fairs  were  from  early  times  associated 
with  the  Hadjdj  which  was  celebrated  on  the  conclusion  of 
the  date-harvest.  These  fairs  were  probably  the  main  thing 
to  Muhammed's  contemporaries,  as  they  still  are  to  many 
Muslims.  For  the  significance  of  the  religious  ceremonies 
had  even  then  lost  its  meaning  for  the  people."  Neverthe- 
less the  significance  of  the  various  rites  and  ceremonies  al- 
though no  longer  understood  clearly,  point  to  a  pagan  origin. 
Snouck  Hurgronje  thinks  he  sees  a  solar  rite  in  the  toukuf 
ceremony.  Wensinck  says :  "  The  god  of  Muzdalifa  was 
Quzah,  the  thunder-god.  A  fire  was  kindled  on  the  sacred 
hill  also  called  Quzah.  Here  a  halt  was  made  and  this 
wukuf  has  a  still  greater  similarity  to  that  on  Sinai,  as  in 
both  cases  the  thunder-god  is  revealed  in  fire.  It  may  further 
be  presumed  that  the  traditional  custom  of  making  as  much 
noise  as  possible  and  of  shooting  was  originally  a  sympathetic 
charm  to  call  forth  the  thunder." 

*"De  Israeliten  te  Mekka  van  David's  tyd  enz,"  Dozy    (Leiden). 


160      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

As  soon  as  the  sun  was  visible,  the  ifada  to  Mina  used  to 
begin  in  pre-Islamic  times.  Mohammed  therefore  ordained 
that  this  should  begin  before  sunrise ;  here  again  we  have 
the  attempt  to  destroy  a  solar  rite.  In  ancient  times  they 
are  said  to  have  sung  during  the  ifada,  "  aslirik  thabir  haima 
nughir."  The  explanation  of  these  words  is  uncertain ;  it  is 
sometimes  translated :  "  Enter  into  the  light  of  morning, 
Thabir,  so  that  we  may  hasten."  And  again  we  know  from  a 
statement  in  Ibn  Hisham  (ed.  Wustenfeld,  p.  76,  et  seq.),  that 
the  stone  throwing  only  began  after  the  sun  had  crossed  the 
meridian.  Houtsma  has  made  it  probable  that  the  stoning 
was  originally  directed  at  the  sun-demon ;  important  support 
is  found  for  this  view  in  the  f oct  that  the  Pilgrimage  originally 
coincided  with  the  autumnal  equinox  as  similar  customs  are 
found  all  over  the  world  at  the  beginning  of  the  four  seasons. 
With  the  expulsion  of  the  sun-demon,  whose  harsh  rule  comes 
to  an  end  with  summer,  worship  of  the  thunder-god  who 
brings  fertility  and  his  invocation  may  easily  be  connected, 
as  we  have  seen  above  at  the  festival  in  Muzdalifa.  The 
name  tarwiya,  "  moistening,"  may  also  be  explained  in  this 
connection  as  a  sympathetic  rain-charm,  traces  of  which 
survive  in  the  libation  of  Zem  Zem  water.  Other  explana- 
tions of  the  stone-throwing  are  given.  Van  Vloten  connects 
it  with  snake-worship  or  demonolatry  and  as  proof  gives  the 
expression  used  in  the  Koran  so  frequently,  As  Shaitan  ar 
rajim  — "  the  pelted  devil."  Chauvin  finds  in  it  "  an 
example  of  scopelism  (sic)  the  object  being  to  prevent  the 
cultivation  of  the  ground  by  the  Meccans."  Both  theories 
have  been  refuted  by  Houtsma.5  Eegarding  the  throwing  of 
the  pebbles  in  the  pilgrimage  ceremony  we  may  compare 
what  Frazer  says  in  his  chapter  on  the  transference  of  evil 
to  stones  and  sticks  among  pagans  and  animists  ("  The 
Scapegoat,"  pp.  23-24) : 

e  See  Art.  "  Hadjdj  in  the  Encyclop.  of  Islam,"  Vol.  II,  p.  200. 


THE  PILGRIMAGE  161 

"  Sometimes  the  motive  for  throwing  the  stone  is  to  ward 
off  a  dangerous  spirit;  sometimes  it  is  to  cast  away  an  evil; 
sometimes  it  is  to  acquire  a  good.  Yet,  perhaps,  if  we 
could  trace  them  back  to  their  origin  in  the  mind  of  primitive 
man,  we  might  find  that  they  all  resolve  themselves  more  or 
less  exactly  into  the  principle  of  the  transference  of  evil. 
For  to  rid  themselves  of  an  evil  and  to  acquire  a  good  are 
often  merely  opposite  sides  of  one  and  the  same  operation; 
for  example,  a  convalescent  regains  health  in  exactly  the 
same  proportion  as  he  shakes  off  his  malady.  And  though 
the  practice  of  throwing  stones  at  dangerous  spirits,  especially 
at  mischievous  and  malignant  ghosts  of  the  dead,  appears 
to  spring  from  a  different  motive,  yet  it  may  be  questioned 
whether  the  difference  is  really  as  great  to  the  savage  as  it 
seems  to  us."  .  .  .  "  Thus  the  throwing  of  the  sticks  or 
stones  would  be  a  form  of  ceremonial  purification,  which 
among  primitive  peoples  is  commonly  conceived  as  a  sort  of 
physical  rather  than  moral  purgation,  a  mode  of  sweeping  or 
scouring  away  the  morbid  matter  by  which  the  polluted  per- 
son is  supposed  to  be  infected.  This  notion  perhaps  explains 
the  rite  of  stone-throwing  observed  by  pilgrims  at  Mecca;  on 
the  day  of  sacrifice  every  pilgrim  has  to  cast  seven  stones  on  a 
cairn,  and  the  rite  is  repeated  on  the  three  following  days. 
The  traditional  explanation  of  the  custom  is  that  Mohammed 
here  drove  away  the  devil  with  a  shower  of  stones;  but  the 
original  idea  may  perhaps  have  been  that  the  pilgrims  cleanse 
themselves  by  transferring  their  ceremonial  impurity  to  the 
stones  which  they  fling  on  the  heap." 

Dr.  Snouck  Hurgronje  gives,  in  addition,  the  following 
pagan  practices  of  the  pilgrimage.  It  is  commonly  sup- 
posed that  in  the  time  of  ignorance  two  idols  were  worshiped 
on  Safa  and  Marwa,  and  the  names  of  these  idols  are  men- 
tioned. In  the  second  chapter  of  the  Koran,  Verse  153,  the 
pagan  custom  observed  by  the  Arabs  before  Islam  is  sane- 


162      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

tioned.  Prof.  Hurgronje  thinks  that  the  existence  of  the 
small  sanctuaries  around  the  Ka'aba  are  due  to  the  existence 
of  sacred  trees,  stones  and  wells,  which  formerly  were  pagan 
places  of  worship,  but  were  afterwards  Islamized  by  stating 
that  under  such  a  tree  the  Prophet  sat  down  —  this  stone 
spoke  to  him  —  on  that  stone  he  sat  down  —  and  certain  wells 
even  were  made  sacred  because  Mohammed  spat  in  them. 
(Azraqi,  p.  438,  quoted  in  Hurgronje,  p.  123.) 

A  little  south  of  the  valley  of  Arafat  there  is  a  small  hill 
called  the  Hill  of  Grace,  on  the  top  of  which  there  was  for- 
merly a  small  building  with  a  dome.  At  present  it  is  con- 
nected with  Um  Salima,  but  its  origin  is  lost  in  obscurity. 
When  the  Wahhabis  came  to  Mecca  and  desired  to  purify  it 
of  idolatry,  they  destroyed  these  places.  Prof.  Hurgronje 
concludes  that  while  the  general  ritual  of  the  pilgrimage  is 
Mohammedan,  there  are  many  practices  that  now  are  con- 
demned as  innovations,  which  are  in  reality  old  Arabian  and 
pagan  in  their  character.  His  conclusion  at  the  end  of  his 
learned  paper  is  this :  "  Should  Sprenger's  hope  ever  be  ful- 
filled,—  and  it  is  not  probable  —  that  a  school  of  Tubingen 
critics  should  arise  in  Islam,  then  surely  the  feast  at  Mecca 
and  the  pilgrim  ceremonies  would  be  the  first  to  disappear 
among  the  practices  which  belong  to  the  heart  of  the  Moslem 
religion." 


CHAPTEE  IX 

MAGIC    AND    SORCERY 

In  no  monotheistic  religion  are  magic  and  sorcery  so  firmly 
entrenched  as  they  are  in  Islam;  for  in  the  case  of  this 
religion  they  are  based  on  the  teaching  of  the  Koran  and  the 
practice  of  the  Prophet.  In  one  celebrated  passage  *  we 
read :  "  they  follow  that  which  the  devils  recited  against 
Solomon's  kingdom ; —  it  was  not  Solomon  who  misbelieved, 
but  the  devils  who  misbelieved,  teaching  men  sorcery, —  and 
what  has  been  revealed  to  the  two  angels  at  Babylon,  Harut 
and  Marut,  yet  these  taught  no  one  until  they  said,  '  We  are 
but  a  temptation,  so  do  not  misbelieve.'  Men  learn  from 
them  only  that  by  which  they  may  part  man  and  wife;  but 
they  can  harm  no  one  therewith,  unless  with  the  permission 
of  God,  and  they  learn  what  hurts  them  and  profits  them  not. 
And  yet  they  knew  that  he  who  purchased  it  would  have  no 
portion  in  the  future ;  but  sad  is  the  price  at  which  they  have 
sold  their  souls,  had  they  but  known.  But  had  they  believed 
and  feared,  a  reward  from  God  were  better,  had  they  but 
known." 

In  the  commentaries  we  have  a  long  account  of  how  these 
two  angels,  Harut  and  Marut,  had  compassion  on  the  frailties 
of  mankind  and  were  sent  down  to  earth  to  be  tempted.  They 
both  sinned,  and  being  permitted  to  choose  whether  they 
would  be  punished  now  or  hereafter,  chose  the  former  and 
are  still  suspended  by  the  feet  at  Babel  in  a  rocky  pit,  where 
they  are  great  teachers  of  magic.2     There  are  other  passages 

i"The  Qur'an,"  E.  H.  Palmer,  Part  I,  Sura  11:96  ff. 

2  Hughes'  Dictionary  of  Islam,  p.  168.  In  a  beautifully  illustrated 
Persian  book  of  Traditions  found  in  the  Sultaniah  Museum,  Cairo,  there 
is  a  picture  of  these  culprits. 

163 


164      THE  INFLUENCE  OE  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

in  the  Koran  dealing  with  magic,  in  fact  the  book  itself,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  has  magical  power.  The  superstitions 
that  obtained  in  Arabia  before  Islam  have  been  perpetuated 
by  it.  No  orthodox  Moslem  doubts  that  men  are  able  to  call 
forth  the  power  of  demons  and  Jinn  by  means  of  magic 
(sihr).  Everywhere  there  are  professional  magicians, 
wizards  and  witches.  The  popular  belief  in  them  to-day  in 
Arabia  is  well  described  by  Doughty  (Vol.  II,  p.  106). 
"  Wellah,"  he  said,  "  Sheykh  Khalil,  one  of  them  sitting  on 
such  a  beam,  may  ride  in  the  night-time  to  Medina  and  return 
ere  day,  and  no  man  know  it ;  for  they  will  be  found  in  their 
houses  when  the  people  waken."  "  How  may  a  witch  that 
has  an  husband  gad  abroad  by  night,  and  the  goodman  not 
know  it  ?  "  "  If  she  take  betwixt  her  fingers  only  a  little  of 
the  ashes  of  the  hearth,  and  sprinkle  it  on  his  forehead,  the 
dead  sleep  will  fall  upon  him  till  the  morning.  But  though 
one  knew  his  wife  to  be  a  witch,  yet  durst  he  not  show  it, 
nor  put  her  away,  for  she  might  cause  him  to  perish  miser- 
ably !  yet  the  most  witches  are  known,  and  one  of  them,  he 
added  darkly,  is  a  neighbor  of  ours.  When  it  is  the  time  to 
sleep  they  roam  through  the  village  ways :  and  I  warn  thee, 
Sheykh  Khalil !  for  a  thing  which  we  looked  not  for  may 
happen  in  a  moment !  have  a  care  in  thy  coming  home  by 
night."  "  I  would  willingly  see  them."  "  Eigh !  speak  not 
so  fool-hardily,  except  thou  know  some  powerful  spells  to  say 
against  them.  I  have  heard  that  Dakliilallah  (a  menhel,  or 
man  of  God),  once  meeting  with  the  witches  did  cry  against 
them  words  which  the  Lord  put  into  his  heart,  out  of  the 
Koran,  and  they  fled  from  him  shrieking  that  the  pairs  of 
hell  were  come  upon  them."  "  The  witches,"  said  the  melan- 
choly Imam,  "  are  of  all  ages :  they  have  a  sheikh,  who  is  a 
man,  and  he  also  is  known."  "  And  why  are  they  not 
punished  ?  "  "  Wellah,  it  is  for  fear  of  their  malice.  The 
hags  assemble  in  dead  hours  of  the  night,  and  sitting  in  a 


MAGIC  AND  SORCERY  165 

place  of  ordures,  they  strip  off  their  smocks,  and  annoint  their 
bodies  with  cow  milk  (which  in  Arabia  is  esteemed 
medicinal),  and  then  the  witches  cry,  'We  be  issued  from 
the  religion  of  Islam.7  So  they  gad  it  in  the  dim  streets,  and 
woe  worth  any  man  returning  lateward  if  they  meet  with 
him !  For  they  will  compel  him  to  lie  with  them ;  and  if  he 
should  deny  them,  they  will  change  him  into  the  form  of  some 
beast  —  an  ox,  a  horse,  or  an  ass :  and  he  shall  afterward 
lose  his  mind,  and  in  the  end  perish  miserably.  But  they 
eat,  wellah,  the  heart  (and  he  is  aware  of  it)  of  him  who 
consents  to  them,  and  suck  the  blood  of  his  living  body ;  and 
after  this  he  will  become  a  fool,  and  be  a  dazing  man  all  his 
days." 

The  sorcerer  who  desires  to  exercise  his  magic  art  begins 
by  sacrificing  a  black  cock.  He  then  reads  his  spell,  ties 
his  knots,  or  flings  his  magical  readings  into  the  wells.  All 
this  is  done  in  the  same  fashion  to-day  as  was  customary  be- 
fore Mohammed.  To  such  practices  the  last  two  chapters  of 
the  Koran  refer.  Much  more  important  and  more  wide- 
spread than  the  magic  of  producing  demonic  influence  is  the 
magic  of  acting  against  them  —  what  might  be  called  "  anti- 
magic."  Illness,  especially  in  the  case  of  children,  is  caused 
by  Jinn.  The  one  remedy  is  therefore  magic.  And  consists 
in  stroking  or  rubbing,  the  tying  of  knots,  or  spitting  and 
blowing.  I  have  seen  an  educated  'kadi  in  Arabia  solemnly 
repeat  chapters  from  the  Koran  and  then  blow  upon  the 
body  of  his  dying  child,  in  order  to  bring  back  health  again. 
The  Rev.  Edwin  E.  Calverley  tells  this  story :  "  What  do 
you  suppose  I  have  just  seen  ?  "  exclaimed  an  excited  Jew 
to  a  Christian  in  a  Moslem  city  of  Arabia. 

"  What  was  it  ?     Where  did  you  see  it  ?  " 

"  There  was  a  whole  group  of  Arab  women  standing  out- 
side the  big  door  of  the  mosque  and  they  all  had  cups  or 
glasses  in  their  hands." 


166     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

"  Oh,  they  were  beggars,  and  they  were  waiting  for  the 
men  to  get  through  reciting  their  prayers." 

"  But  no,  they  were  not  beggars,  because  I  saw  the  beggars 
at  another  door,  and  besides,  I  watched  the  men  as  they  came 
out  of  the  mosque,  and,  it  is  hard  to  believe  it,  they  spat  right 
into  the  cups  and  glasses  and  bowls  that  the  women  and 
children  and  even  men  held  out  to  them.  Some  of  the 
Moslems  spat  into  one  cup  after  another, —  into  every  cup 
that  was  put  near  them.  I  never  saw  the  like  in  all  my 
life !  " 

"  That  is  indeed  most  strange  and  revolting !  What  were 
they  doing  it  for  ?  I'm  sure  I  don't  know.  Why  don't  you 
go  and  ask  some  Moslem  about  it  ?  " 

Soon  he  came  back,  utterly  disgusted. 

"  Did  you  find  out  what  the  purpose  is  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  that  is  the  most  repulsive  thing  of  all !  I 
wouldn't  have  believed  it  about  them  if  anybody  but  one  of 
their  own  religion  had  told  it  to  me.  Those  people  with  the 
cups  and  bowls  have  some  friend  or  some  one  in  their  family 
who  is  sick,  and  they  are  collecting  the  spittle  of  the  men 
who  have  just  finished  their  prayers  for  their  sick  ones  at 
home." 

My  Moslem  friends  could  not  give  me  the  religious  au- 
thority supporting  their  unhygienic  custom,  but  such 
authority  exists  nevertheless.  Al  Bukhari  (Sahih  VII,  p. 
150)  gives  two  traditions  reporting  Mohammed's  sanction  for 
the  practice.  After  recording  the  usual  "  chain  of  witnesses, 
Al  Bukhari  relates  that  "  Aisha  (May  Allah  be  pleased  with 
her)  said  that  the  Prophet  (Allah  bless  him  and  give  him 
peace)  told  a  sick  man,  '  In  the  name  of  Allah  the  earth  of 
our  land  and  the  saliva  of  some  of  us  cure  our  sick,  by  the 
permission  of  our  Lord.'  " 

Spitting  is  used  for  all  difficult  performances,  for  example, 
to  open  locks  that  will  not  otherwise  yield  to  the  key.     (See 


MAGIC  AND  SOKCERY  167 

Doughty  Vol.  I,  p.  527  and  Vol.  II,  p.  164.)  In  this  way 
they  cure  sick  camels.  Doughty  says  (Vol.  II,  p.  164) : 
"  Another  time  I  saw  Salih  busy  to  cure  a  mangy  thelul; 
he  sat  with  a  bowl  of  water  before  him,  and  mumbling  there- 
over he  spat  in  it,  and  mumbled  solemnly  and  spat  many 
times ;  and  after  a  half -hour  of  this  work  the  water  was  taken 
to  the  sick  beast  to  drink.  Spitting  (a  despiteful  civil  defile- 
ment) we  have  seen  to  be  some  great  matter  in  their  medicine. 
Is  it  that  they  spit  thus  against  the  malicious  jinn  1  Parents 
bid  their  young  children  spit  upon  them:  and  an  Arabian 
father  will  often  softly  say  to  the  infant  son  in  his  arms, 
1  Spit  upon  babu !  spit,  my  darling.'  " 

Another  case  he  gives  as  follows:  (Vol.  I,  p.  527)  :  "  A 
young  mother  yet  a  slender  girl,  brought  her  wretched  babe, 
and  bade  me  spit  upon  the  child's  sore  eyes;  this  ancient 
Semitic  opinion  and  custom  I  have  afterward  found  wherever 
I  came  in  Arabia.  Meteyr  nomads  in  el-Kasim  have  brought 
me,  some  of  them  bread  and  some  salt,  that  I  should  spit  in 
it  for  their  sick  friends.  Their  gossips  followed  to  make 
this  request  with  them  and  when  I  blamed  their  superstition 
they  answered  simply,  that  '  such  was  the  custom  here  from 
time  out  of  mind.'  " 

In  regard  to  blowing  and  spitting  as  methods  of  healing  or 
conferring  a  blessing,  it  is  important  to  note  the  Arabic  dis- 
tinction between  nafakha  and  nafatha,  the  latter  means  to 
blow  with  spittle.  A  Moslem  correspondent  in  Yemen  points 
out  this  distinction  and  says  that  there  is  no  real  healing 
power  or  hurting  power  in  the  dry  breath.  It  is  the  spittle  or 
soul-stuff  that  transfers  good  or  ill. 

Among  the  animistic  tribes  of  West  Africa  spitting  is  one 
of  the  means  of  conferring  a  blessing.  The  same  thing  is 
true  among  the  Barotse  of  South  Africa.  Mr.  Nassau  writes : 
"  The  same  Benga  word,  tuwaka,  to  spit,  is  one  of  the  two 
words  which  mean  also  '  to  bless/     In  pronouncing  a  blessing 


168     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

there  is  a  violent  expulsion  of  breath,  the  hand  or  head  of  the 
one  blessed  being  held  so  near  the  face  of  the  one  blessing 
that  sometimes  in  the  act  spittle  is  actually  expelled  upon 

him."3 

Concerning  South  Africa  he  quotes  a  testimony  of  Wilson : 
"  Kelatives  take  leave  of  each  other  with  elaborate  ceremony. 
They  spit  upon  each  other's  faces  and  heads,  or  rather,  pre- 
tend to  do  so,  for  they  do  not  actually  emit  saliva.  They  also 
pick  up  blades  of  grass,  spit  upon  them,  and  stick  them  about 
the  beloved  dead.  They  also  spit  on  the  hands:  all  this  is 
done  to  ward  off  evil  spirits.  Spittle  also  acts  as  a  kind  of 
taboo.  When  they  do  not  want  a  thing  touched  they  spit  on 
straws,  and  stick  them  all  about  the  object." 

In  India,  we  are  told,  many  women  with  their  little  chil- 
dren go  to  the  mosques  at  the  prayer  hour  and  stand  near  the 
door.  After  prayers  as  the  people  come  out  from  the  mosques 
still  repeating  their  wazifas  they  breathe  on  these  children. 
Often  in  case  of  sickness  in  the  family  some  one  is  sent  for 
(such  as  an  Imam)  who  repeats  some  suras  or  verses  of  the 
Koran  and  either  directly  breathes  on  the  sick  or  on  a  little 
water  which  is  given  to  the  sick  to  drink.  Sometimes  he 
touches  his  tongue  with  his  forefinger  and  then  the  tongue  of 
the  sick,  and  in  this  way  saliva  is  used  for  healing  purposes." 

"  In  Yemen,"  writes  a  Moslem  correspondent,  "  it  is  com- 
mon to  blow  on  the  sick  or  use  saliva  for  healing.  But  it  is 
necessary  that  the  one  who  blows  or  uses  spittle  should  be  a 
pious  man,  and  that  before  he  does  it  the  Fatiha  be  repeated. 
This  practice  is  in  accordance  with  the  example  of  the 
Prophet  as  he  worked  miracles  in  this  way  and  his  Compan- 
ions did  likewise." 

In  Tabriz,  Persia,  a  holy  man  often  is  asked  to  say  prayers 
for  the  sick  and  breathe  on  them. 

"  Some  people,"  says  Mr.  Gerdener  of  South  Africa,  "  who 

*  "  Fetichism  in  West  Africa,"  p.  213. 


MAGIC  AND  SOECEKY  169 

have  been  to  Mecca  are  supposed  to  possess  the  power  to 
breathe  on  the  face  of  the  sick  and  cure  them.  Passing  the 
hand  in  front  of  the  face  is  also  resorted  to,  especially  for 
children. " 

In  Bahrein,  Arabia,  saliva  mixed  with  oil,  is  used  as  an 
ointment  and  is  also  taken  internally.  It  is  collected  in  a 
cup  from  various  contributors ! 

The  Mullah's  breath  is  supposed  to  be  efficacious  in  sick- 
ness.    He   receives   a   fee   for   this   treatment.     "  Mrs.    D. 

called  on  the  women  of  Sheikh  J 's  household,  and  he 

was  in  the  room  doctoring  a  sick  boy.  He  sat  beside  him," 
writes  Miss  Kellien,  "  muttering  pious  phrases  supposedly 
from  the  Koran,  and  punctuating  every  few  words  by  spitting 
towards  the  child's  face,  and  then  watching  her  to  see  how 
she  took  it.  She  said  his  wives  were  convulsed  with 
laughter  which  they  were  careful  to  hide,  and  had  apparently 
little  faith  in  the  virtue  of  such  treatment." 

To  cure  headache  in  Algeria  the  taleb  will  take  hold  of 
the  patient's  head  with  the  first  finger  and  thumb  across  the 
brow  and  gently  blow  upon  the  patient's  face  until  the  pain 
has  disappeared.  A  taleb  will  spit  in  the  mouth  of  a  patient 
supposed  to  be  possessed  by  jinn,  knock  him  sharply  on  the 
back  between  the  shoulder-blades,  and  the  evil  spirit  will 
leave  him. 

In  Tunis  if  a  person  is  ill,  some  one  is  brought  who  spits 
on  his  own  hands  and  wipes  them  over  the  sick  person's  face 
and  hands. 

Among  Moslems  everywhere  sneezing  has  an  evil  sig- 
nificance and  may  have  bad  results.  To  ward  these  off,  those 
who  are  present  utter  a  pious  formula.  This  was  the  custom 
before  Islam  as  well  as  to-day.  Gaping  is  of  the  devil  (Buk- 
hari  2: 180),  therefore  it  is  followed  by  the  expression,  "  I 
take  refuge  in  God  (from  Satan)." 

The  chief  danger,  however,  always  present  to  the  Semitic 


170     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

mind,  is  that  of  the  "  evil  eye "  —  not  only  of  him  who 
envies  but  also  of  him  who  admires.  It  is  also  feared  in  the 
glance  of  the  Jinn  and  the  'afrit.  Mohammed  was  a  believer 
in  the  baneful  influence  of  the  evil  eye.  Asma  Bint  'Umais 
relates  that  she  said,  "  O  Prophet,  the  family  of  Ja'far  are 
affected  by  the  baneful  influences  of  an  evil  eye ;  may  I  use 
spells  for  them  or  not  ?  "  The  Prophet  said,  "  Yes,  for  if 
there  were  anything  in  the  world  which  would  overcome  fate, 
it  would  be  an  evil  eye."  4 

Again  we  read,5  "  Anas  says :  *  The  Prophet  permitted  a 
spell  (ruqyah)  being  used  to  counteract  the  ill  effects  of  the 
evil  eye ;  and  on  those  bitten  by  snakes  or  scorpions.'  " 
(Sahih  Muslim  — p.  233.) 

Um  Salmah  relates  "  that  the  Prophet  allowed  a  spell  to 
be  used  for  the  removal  of  yellowness  in  the  eye,  which,  he 
said,  proceeded  from  the  malignant  eye."  (Sahih  Al-Bok- 
hari,  p.  854.) 

"  ?Auf  ibn  Malik  says  i  The  Prophet  said  there  is  nothing 
wrong  in  using  spells,  provided  the  use  of  them  does  not 
associate  anything  with  God.' "  (Mishkat,  Book  XXI, 
ch.  I.) 

The  magic  resting  in  knots  is  also  referred  to  in  the  Koran. 
In  the  Chapter  of  the  Daybreak  6  we  read :  "  Say,  I  seek 
refuge  in  the  Lord  of  the  Daybreak,  from  the  evil  of  what 
He  has  created ;  and  from  the  evil  of  the  night  when  it  cometh 
on;  and  from  the  evil  of  the  blowers  upon  knots"  That 
the  custom  is  animistic  is  clear  from  Frazer's  description  of 
it  in  his  work  on  Taboo  7  :  "  At  a  difficult  birth  the  Battaks 
of  Sumatra  make  a  search  through  the  possessions  of  husband 
and  wife  and  untie  everything  that  is  tied  up  in  a  bundle. 

*  Mishkat,  XXI,  C.  I.,  Part  2. 
5  Hughes'  Dictionary,  p.  303. 
e  Surah  113. 
7  Vol.  II,  pp.  296-7  and  300. 


MAGIC  AND  SOKCEKY  171 

In  some  parts  of  Java,  when  a  woman  is  in  travail,  everything 
in  the  house  that  was  shut  is  opened,  in  order  that  the  birth 
may  not  be  impeded ;  not  only  are  doors  opened  and  the  lids 
of  chests,  boxes,  rice-pots,  and  water-buts  lifted  up,  but  even 
swords  are  unsheathed  and  spears  drawn  out  of  their  cases. 
Customs  of  the  same  sort  are  practiced  with  the  same  inten- 
tion in  other  parts  of  the  East  Indies."  He  goes  on  to  say, 
"  We  meet  with  the  same  superstition  and  the  same  custom 
at  the  present  day  in  Syria.  The  persons  who  help  a  Syrian 
bridegroom  to  don  his  wedding  garments  take  care  that  no 
knot  is  tied  on  them  nor  buttoned,  for  they  believe  that  a 
buttoned  or  a  knot  tied  would  put  it  within  the  power  of  his 
enemies  to  deprive  him  of  his  nuptial  rights  by  magical 
means.'' 

Among  the  Jews  also  knots  played  an  important  part  in 
magic.  "  Even  to-day  among  the  children  of  Kiev  one  of  the 
ways  of  determining  who  shall  be  '  it '  is  to  tie  a  knot  in  a 
handkerchief;  the  children  pick  out  the  corners,  and  the  one 
selecting  the  knotted  corner  is  c  it.'  In  Kovno,  when  a  wart 
is  removed  a  knot  is  tied  around  it  with  a  thread  and  this 
knot  is  placed  under  the  threshold."  8 

Commentators  on  the  Koran  relate  that  the  reason  for  the 
revelation  of  the  chapter  quoted  above  was  that  a  Jew  named 
Lobeid,  had,  with  the  assistance  of  his  daughters,  bewitched 
Mohammed  by  tying  eleven  knots  in  a  cord  which  they  hid  in 
a  well.  The  Prophet  falling  ill  in  consequence,  this  chapter 
and  that  following  it  were  revealed;  and  the  angel  Gabriel 
acquainted  him  with  the  use  he  was  to  make  of  them,  and 
told  him  where  the  cord  was  hidden.  The  Khalif  Ali  fetched 
the  cord,  and  the  Prophet  repeated  over  it  these  two  chapters ; 
at  every  verse  a  knot  was  loosed  till  on  finishing  the  last 
words,  he  was  entirely  freed  from  the  charm.9 

s  The  Jewish  Encyclopedia,  article  Knot. 

9  See  "  Al  Razi,"  Vol.  VIII,  pp.  559-564.     Here  we  also  learn  that  an 


172     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

In  Malay  magic,  heathen  practices  are  so  thoroughly  mixed 
up  with  Mohammedan  prayers  that  it  is  hard  to  disentangle 
the  threads  of  superstition.  Skeat  tells  us  that  in  order  to 
injure  an  enemy  the  method  followed  is  as  follows : 

"  Take  parings  of  nails,  hair,  eyebrows,  saliva,  etc.,  of  your 
intended  victim  (sufficient  to  represent  every  part  of  his 
person),  and  make  them  up  into  his  likeness  with  wax  from  a 
deserted  bees'  comb.  Scorch  the  figure  slowly  by  holding  it 
over  a  lamp  every  night  for  seven  nights  and  say : 

"  ( It  is  not  wax  that  I  am  scorching. 

"  '  It  is  the  liver,  heart  and  spleen  of  So-and-so  that  I 
scorch.'  After  the  seventh  time  burn  the  figure,  and  your 
victim  will  die."  10 

The  following  prayer  is  also  used  in  burying  a  wax  image 
of  one's  enemy  after  piercing  it  with  the  thorn  of  the  palm 
tree: 

"  Peace  be  to  you !    Ho,  Prophet  'Tap,  in  whose  charge  the  earth 

is, 
Lo,  I  am  burying  the  corpse  of  Somebody, 
I  am  bidden  (to  do  so)  by  the  Prophet  Mohammed, 
Because  he  (the  corpse)  was  a  rebel  to  God. 
Do  you  assist  in  killing  him  or  making  him  sick ; 
If  you  do  not  make  him  sick,  if  you  do  not  kill  him, 
You  shall  be  a  rebel  against  God, 
A  rebel  against  Mohammed, 
It  is  not  I  who  am  burying  him, 
It  is  Gabriel  who  is  burying  him. 
Do  you  too  grant  my  prayer  and  petition,  this  very  day  that  has 

appeared, 
Grant  it  by  the  grace  of  my  petition  within  the  fold  of  the  Creed 

La  ilaha."  11 

afrit  used  to  tease  Mohammed,  so  Gabriel  taught  him  to  repeat  this 
chapter  at  bed-time.  It  was  also  given  him  as  a  charm  against  the 
evil  eye. 

10  "  Malay  Magic,"  p.  570. 

ii  "  Malay  Magic,"  p.  571. 


MAGIC  AND  SOKCEKY  173 

In  this  way  the  one  who  performs  magic  absolves  himself 
from  blood-guiltiness  by  shifting  the  burden  of  his  guilt  to  the 
shoulders  of  the  Angel  Gabriel. 

The  teaching  of  the  Koran  is  to  blame  for  other  forms  of 
magic ;  is  it  not  the  inspired  word  of  God  ?  Among  the  Mos- 
lems Solomon  is  a  great  historic  figure.  He  is  still  looked 
upon  as  the  ruler  of  the  animal  world ;  the  very  trappers  in 
the  jungle  address  their  prey  in  the  name  of  "  God's  prophet, 
Solomon."  His  adventures  with  the  Queen  of  Sheba  are  re- 
corded in  romance,  his  seal  (the  pentacle)  is  drawn  by 
sorcerers  on  talismans  and  gives  its  name  to  the  five-pointed 
starfish,  and  his  wealth,  like  the  treasure  of  Korah,  is  much 
sought  for  by  local  magicians. 

Miss  Holliday  says  that  one  of  the  most  prevalent  forms  of 
magic  in  Persia  is  filling  a  metal  bowl  with  water,  holding 
money  or  some  metallic  object  between  the  thumb  and  fore- 
finger and  stirring  the  water  with  it ;  they  divine  by  looking 
in  the  water.  Sometimes  a  cloth  is  placed  in  the  bowl  and 
chirping  sounds,  like  the  voices  of  sparrows  are  heard.  I 
have  heard  of  a  woman  in  Hrumia  who  has  a  familiar  spirit, 
who  is  sometimes  visible  and  whose  answers  to  questions  have 
a  muttering  or  chirping  sound.  Sometimes  a  metal  plate  is 
used  with  letters  on  the  rim  from  which  answers  are  de- 
duced. "  The  family  of  my  Moslem  cook,"  writes  Miss  Hol- 
liday, "  have  a  singular  distinction,  their  house  being  what  is 
known  as  an  '  ojock,'  literally,  a  hearthstone,  or  fireplace. 
This  is  a  rare  thing;  women  bring  their  small  infants  to  him 
and  making  a  noose  of  a  handkerchief  round  his  gun,  pass  the 
child  three  times  through  it,  which  is  supposed  to  protect  it 
from  the  evil  eye.  All  the  sons  of  this  clan  have  this  power 
of  blessing  and  protecting  which  is  unknown  to  other  Mos- 
lems. They  have  peculiar  customs ;  one  is,  that  after  the 
birth  of  a  child  all  in  the  house  must  abstain  from  all  food  of 
animal  origin  for  a  week,  till  the  mother  has  gone  to  the 


174     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

bath.  The  majority  are  monogamists  and  divorce  is  rare 
among  them.  My  cook  thinks  there  is  but  one  other  clan 
in  this  city  which  has  the  power  of  being  an  '  ojock.' 
Women  here  wishing  to  avert  the  evil  eye  from  a  young  child, 
will  bring  it  to  my  cook  and  give  it  to  him  as  his  own,  then 
will  give  him  money,  with  which  he  hires  the  mother,  as  the 
child's  nurse,  and  she  takes  it  away  to  her  home." 

She  continues :  "  Two  or  three  onions  were  pierced  by  a 
spit  because  the  woman  said  the  evil  spirits  did  not  like  the 
odor  or  the  looks  of  the  sharp  iron.  Three  eggs  were  put  in 
a  bowl  at  the  pillow  and  stayed  there  till  the  mother  was 
taken  to  the  bath.  When  they  left  the  house,  one  was  broken 
and  thrown  out  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  jinns  to  that, 
another  when  half  way  to  the  bath  and  the  last  when  they 
reached  the  door,  so  that  she  could  enter  while  their  curiositv 
detained  them  without.  A  copy  of  the  Koran  was  usually 
tied  in  a  headkerchief  and  laid  at  the  pillow. 

"  One  must  not  come  in  t  on  top  of  the  baby  '  till  the  forty 
days  are  expired.  So  they  would  hold  the  baby  over  the 
door  and  I  would  enter  the  room  under  it.  This  was  only 
for  one  who  was  not  present  at  the  birth." 

"  One  form  of  magic  very  common  in  Cape  Town,"  says 
Mr.  Gerdener,  "  is  the  casting  of  dice,  also  human  bones  and 
pebbles  of  varied  color.  In  fact  all  through  the  country  even 
by  Europeans,  Moslem  magic  is  believed  in  and  they  send  for 
'  Malay  doctors/  paying  them  large  sums  for  humbug.  The 
term  Malay  is  synonymous  in  local  newspaper  circles  with 
'  Moslem.'  Amber  beads,  dried  dates,  flowers,  Zem  Zem 
water  and  sand  or  earth  from  Mohammed's  grave  are  all 
used  for  good  luck ;  dates  and  flowers  for  sickness,  the  flower 
being  put  into  water  and  the  newly  born  child  bathed  in  it. 
The  flower  is  subsequently  taken  out,  dried  and  kept  among 
the  child's  garments,  until  the  next  arrival.  The  sand  or 
earth  is  worn  in  a  rag  round  the  neck  to  ward  off  sickness 


MAGIC  AND  SOECEEY  175 

or  to  keep  off  evil  spirits,  of  which  the  Moslem  world  seems 
to  swarm.  These  rags  are  also  worn  by  criminals  to  escape 
the  police." 

Mekkeya,  a  Moslem  convert  at  Bahrein,  Arabia,  says  that 
people  who  deal  in  magic  often  take  the  head  of  a  sheep,  bury 
it  in  the  cemetery  and  every  night  for  seven  days  go  to  the 
place,  where  they  first  curse  father  and  mother  forty  times, 
and  then  open  the  grave.  If  the  head  salutes  him  for  each 
of  these  seven  nights  he  digs  it  up  and  takes  it  home  with  him 
where  it  is  kept  in  state  and  gives  an  answer  regarding  all 
the  owner's  intended  magic.  Should  it  fail  to  answer  during 
one  of  the  seven  nights,  it  cannot  be  used. 

For  magic  purposes  pieces  of  the  Kaaba-covering,  Zem 
Zem  water,  earth  which  is  mixed  with  water  and  used  as 
medicine,  date  stones  from  Mecca,  etc.,  are  kept  in  a  box  in 
the  house  because  of  the  blessing  they  are  supposed  to  con- 
tain. 

The  following  is  one  form  of  magic  prevalent  in  Algeria. 
A  dish  of  semoule  is  placed  before  a  dead  body  dug  out  of  its 
grave  and  placed  in  an  upright  position  before  the  dish,  while 
some  one  takes  the  dead  hand  and  presses  it  over  the  semoule; 
it  is  then  made  into  little  figures  of  various  descriptions  and 
sold  as  charms. 

Sometimes  words  are  written  on  paper  which  is  then 
pounded  up  and  given  to  some  one  in  their  coffee  or  food. 

Writing  is  also  put  into  the  mouth  of  a  toad.  The  mouth 
is  then  sewn  up,  the  toad's  limbs  are  bound  together  and  the 
toad  is  put  into  a  hole  in  the  ground.  As  the  toad  pines  and 
dies  the  person  for  whom  the  charm  is  bought  also  pines 
and  dies. 

Sometimes  a  ketuba  is  tied  to  the  neck  of  a  tortoise  and  the 
tortoise  put  at  the  doorstep  of  the  person  hated  with  his  or 
her  name  attached,  who  will  then  also  pine  away  and  die. 

Sometimes  a  viper's  head  is  cut  off,  dried  in  the  sun  and 


1Y6     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

pounded  up  and  mixed  with  the  food  or  drink  of  the  victim, 
who  dies.  All  these  things  are  the  work  of  talebs.  There 
are  numerous  other  forms  of  magic  of  the  same  sort  for  bring- 
ing about  the  illness  or  death  of  some  one,  or  as  love-charms. 

Many  animistic  customs  are  in  vogue  among  Moslems  in 
connection  with  their  marriage  ceremonies.  The  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  a  complete  treatise  on  the  subject  by  Edward  Wester- 
marck  ("  Marriage  Ceremonies  in  Morocco,"  Macmillan, 
London,  1914),  from  which  we  quote  one  example:  "  As  a 
protection  against  magic  the  gift  removed  from  the  wheat 
which  is  to  be  used  for  the  wedding  is  thrown  into  a  river, 
water-course  or  spring,  or  buried  in  the  ground ;  the  bride- 
groom steps  three  times  over  the  bundle  of  old  clothes  con- 
taining his  shaved-off  hair;  the  bride  is  carefully  guarded  by 
women  on  her  way  to  the  bridegroom's  place,  particularly 
for  fear  lest  some  malevolent  person  should  in  a  magical 
manner  deprive  her  of  her  virginity ;  she  shakes  out  the  henna 
powder  from  her  slippers  and  throws  it  into  water ;  and  when 
the  young  wife  pays  her  first  visit  to  her  parents  she  goes 
and  comes  back  in  the  evening,  being  still  very  susceptible  to 
the  evil  eye." 

One  has  only  to  compare  these  practices  with  the  marriage 
customs  of  pagan  tribes  to  see  how  much  of  animism  lies  back 
of  them.  The  whole  question  of  sexual  pollution  in  Islam 
can  be  explained  best  of  all  by  animistic  belief.  To  refer 
once  more  to  Westermarck :  — "  The  Moors  say  that  a 
scribe  is  afraid  of  evil  spirits  only  when  he  is  sexually  un- 
clean, because  then  his  reciting  of  passages  of  the  Koran  — 
the  most  powerful  weapon  against  such  spirits  —  would  be 
of  no  avail.  Sexual  cleanness  is  required  of  those  who  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  corn,12  for  such  persons  are  otherwise 
supposed  to  pollute  its  holiness,  and  also,  in  many  cases,  to 
do  injury  to  themselves." 

12  Cf.  Frazer,  The  Corn  Spirit,  in  his  "  The  Golden  Bough." 


MAGIC  AND  SORCERY  177 

In  another  place  he  shows  how  the  bride  brings  blessing  to 
others  just  as  she  does  among  the  pagan  races  of  Malaysia. 
"  When  milk  is  offered  to  the  bride  on  her  way  to  the  bride- 
groom's place,  she  dips  her  finger  into  it  or  drinks  a  few  drops 
and  blows  on  the  rest,  so  as  to  impart  to  it  a  little  of  her  holi- 
ness, and  the  milk  is  then  mixed  with  other  milk  to  serve  as  a 
charm  against  witchcraft,  or  poured  into  the  churn  to  make 
the  butter  plentiful;  or  when,  on  her  arrival  at  the  bride- 
groom's place,  his  mother  welcomes  her  with  milk,  she  drinks 
of  it  herself  and  sprinkles  some  on  the  people.  She  hurls  the 
lamb,  which  is  handed  her,  over  the  bridegroom's  tent  so  that 
there  shall  be  many  sheep  in  the  village." 

Astrology  with  its  belief  that  the  sun,  the  moon  and  the 
planets  preside  over  the  seven  days  of  the  week  and  govern 
by  their  good  or  bad  influences,  is  generally  prevalent  among 
the  uneducated  classes.  Books  on  astrology  are  among  the 
best  sellers  even  in  the  shops  near  the  Azhar  in  Cairo.  The 
following  invocations  taken  from  the  "  Book  of  Treasures ' 
of  the  celebrated  physician  and  philosopher,  Ibn  Sina  (died 
A.D.  1035),  are  still  used  and  published  widely  (one  would 
hardly  call  the  prayers  monotheistic)  : 

Invocation  to  Venus.  O  blessed,  moist,  temperate,  subtle, 
aromatic,  laughing  and  beautiful  Princess,  who  art  the  mis- 
tress of  jewels,  ornaments,  gold,  silver,  amusements,  and  of 
social  gatherings ;  O  Lady  of  sports  and  jokes,  conquering, 
alluring,  repelling,  strengthening,  love-inspiring,  match- 
making !  O  Lady  of  joy,  I  pray  thee  to  grant  my  wishes  by 
the  permission  of  God  the  Most  High ! 

Invocation  to  Mercury.  O  veracious,  excellent,  just,  elo- 
quent Prince  who  art  pleasant  to  look  at,  a  writer,  an  arith- 
metician, a  master  of  wickedness,  fraud,  trickery  and  helper 
in  all  stratagems!  O  truthful,  noble,  subtle  and  light  one, 
whose  nature  and  graciousness  are  unknown,  as  they  are 
boundless,  because  thou  art  boding  good  the  well-boding  ones, 


178     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

and  boding  evil  with  the  evil-boding;  a  male  with  males,  a 
female  with  females,  diurnal  with  diurnals,  and  nocturnal 
with  nocturnals,  accommodating  thyself  to  their  natures,  and 
assimilating  thyself  to  their  forms.  Everything  is  thine.  I 
ask  thee  to  do  my  will,  by  the  permission  of  God.13 

In  astrology  it  is  generally  believed  that  Saturn  presides 
over  Saturday,  and  his  color  is  black;  the  Sun  presides  over 
Sunday  and  his  color  is  yellow ;  the  moon  presides  over  Mon- 
day and  his  color  is  green;  Mars  presides  over  Tuesday  and 
his  color  is  red;  Mercury  presides  over  Wednesday  and  his 
color  is  blue;  Jupiter  presides  over  Thursday  and  his  color 
is  sandal ;  Venus  presides  over  Friday  and  her  color  is  white. 
There  are  also  seven  angels,  one  for  each  day  of  the  week,  and 
special  perfumes  which  are  to  be  burned  in  connection  with 
these  incantations.  The  modus  operandi  in  the  books  on  this 
subject  is  to  take  the  first  letters  of  the  names  of  the  persons 
concerned  and  use  them  with  the  tables  of  astrology.  We 
then  take  the  first  letter  of  the  planet  relating  to  the  person 
or  thing  asked  for,  writing  them,  and  putting  the  sign  of  the 
accusative  case  on  a  hot  letter,  that  of  the  nominative  on  a 
dry  one,  and  that  of  the  genitive  on  a  moist  one,  and  the 
thing  is  done.  E.g.  if  we  wish  to  join  the  letters  of  Mahmud 
and  Fatimah  with  the  letter  of  the  planet  representing  the 
thing  asked  for,  namely  Venus  (Zuhrah),  we  take  the  first  let- 
ter of  Mahmud,  the  first  of  Fatimah,  and  the  first  of  Venus. 
Then  we  operate  with  them,  fumigating  them  with  the  appro- 
priate perfumes ;  you  must  however  have  your  nails  cut,  put 
on  your  best  clothes,  and  be  alone;  and  your  wish  will  be 
granted  by  the  permission  of  God.  It  is  still  customary  to 
get  the  horoscope  of  new-born  children  from  astrologers.  We 
can  also  learn  the  future  by  Geomancy  which  is  called  in 
Arabic  Ilm  ar  rami  (sand)  because  the  figures  and  dots  were 

is  From  the  article  on  Magic  by  E.  Rehatsek,  M.O.E.,  in  the  Journal 
of  the  Asiatic  Society,  Vol.  XIV,  No.  37. 


MAGIC  AND  SORCERY  179 

formerly  traced  on  that  material,  instead  of  on  paper  as  at 
present;  the  operator  is  called  Rammal,  and  he  not  seldom 
calls  in  astrology  to  aid  him  in  his  vaticinations  and  prog- 
nostications. Books  on  Geomancy  are  numerous  enough,  hut 
the  actual  modus  operandi  must  he  learned  from  a  practi- 
tioner.    See  the  illustration  on  page  185. 

Of  many  other  magical  practices  in  vogue  among  Moslems 
to-day  we  cannot  write  at  length.  I  may  mention,  however, 
the  use  of  magic  bowls  or  cups,  which  goes  back  to  great 
antiquity.  Generally  speaking  the  cups  are  of  two  kinds. 
One  is  called  Taset  al  Khadda  from  the  Arabic  root  Jchadda 
which  means  "  to  shake  your  cup."  14  This  kind  is  also 
called  Taset  al  Turba.  These  all  are  used  for  healing,  and  to 
drive  away  the  ills  of  the  body.  A  specimen  of  this  sort,  so 
carefully  kept  by  old  families,  may  be  seen  in  the  Arab 
Museum,  made  by  an  engraver  called  Ibrahim  in  1581  A.D. 
According  to  a  Coptic  writer  the  owners  of  such  goblets  often 
lend  them  to  others  who  need  them.  The  right  manner  to 
use  the  goblet  is  to  fill  it  with  water  in  the  early  morning, 
place  some  ordinary  keys  in  it  and  leave  them  until  the 
following  day,  when  the  patient  drinks  the  water.  This 
operation  is  repeated,  three,  seven,  or  forty  consecutive  nights 
until  the  patient  gets  rid  of  the  evil  effects  of  his  fright. 
It  would  not  be  strange  if  the  oxide  of  iron  acted  on  the 
patients. 

The  Moslem  goblets  generally  contain  Koran  inscriptions 
and  the  keys  spoken  of  are  suspended  by  wires  from  the  inner 
cup  which  rests  in  the  center  of  the  Taseh.  This  is  fastened 
to  the  cup  by  a  screw  allowing  the  inner  cup  to  revolve  so 
that  the  keys  reach  every  position  of  the  outer  goblet.  Two 
magic  cups  which  I  purchased,  the  smaller  one  at  Alexandria, 
the  larger  at  Cairo,  are  both  made  of  brass,  the  larger  measur- 
ing a  little  over  eight  inches  in  diameter  and  two  inches  in 

i*  See  Lane's  Dictionary. 


180     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

height ;  the  smaller  one  five  inches  and  a  quarter  in  diameter 
and  one  and  a  half  in  height.  The  inner  cup  or  basin  in 
both  cases  is  two  inches  in  diameter.  The  keys  are  suspended 
from  perforations  numbering  thirty  in  the  case  of  the  larger 
cup  and  twenty  in  that  of  the  smaller.  (See  illustration 
opposite.) 

To  begin  with  the  larger  cup ;  on  the  inside  we  have  round 
the  rim  certain  numerical  signs  equivalent  to  the  number 
1711  —  which  may  have  magical  significance  —  but  the  num- 
bers are  not  distinct  nor  are  they  uniform.  Then  follows  the 
inscription  taken  from  the  chapter  "  Y.S."  of  the  Koran 
(Surah  XXXVI)  "  In  the  name  of  the  Merciful  and  Com- 
passionate God.  Y.S.  By  the  wise  Quran,  verily,  thou  art 
of  the  apostles  upon  a  right  way.  The  revelation  of  the 
mighty  the  Merciful !  That  thou  mayest  warn  a  people  whose 
fathers  were  not  warned,  and  who  themselves  are  heedless. 
Now  is  the  sentence  due  against  most  of  them,  for  they  will 
not  believe.  Verily,  we  will  place  upon  their  necks  fetters, 
and  they  shall  reach  up  to  their  chins,  and  they  shall  have 
their  heads  forced  back ;  and  we  will  place  before  them  a 
barrier,  and  behind  them  a  barrier ;  and  we  will  cover  them 
and  they  shall  not  see ;  and  it  is  all  the  same  to  them  if  thou 
dost  warn  them  or  dost  warn  them  not,  they  will  not  believe. 
Thou  canst  only  warn  him  who  follows  the  reminder,  and 
fears  the  Merciful  in  the  unseen ;  but  give  him  glad  tidings  or 
forgiveness  and  a  noble  hire." 

The  remainder  of  this  section  of  the  Koran  is  given  on  the 
outside  of  the  cup  on  the  outer  circle  and  reads  as  follows: 
"  Verily  we  quicken  the  dead,  and  write  down  what  they 
have  done  before,  and  what  vestiges  they  leave  behind;  and 
everything  we  counted  in  a  plain  model. 

"  Strike  out  for  them  a  parable :  the  fellows  of  the  city 
when  there  came  to  it  the  apostles ;  when  we  sent  those  two 
and  they  called  them  both  liars."     The  outside  of  the  cup 


GO 

H 

1— 1 


?■* 

O) 

o 

^ 

-(-J 

■+J 

cd. 

s 

o 

TJ 

o> 

T"! 

d 

a 

O 

a> 

««H 

.-» 

-(-> 

Sh 

0) 

f/> 

,d 

-4-> 

-M 

O 

•  pH 

<D 

O) 

-t-< 

o 

Ph 

O 

T3 

V/< 

M 

t— 1 

rf 

CD 

OT 

,d 

-M 

+-> 

£h 

oS 

e*-c 

<4-l 

o 

'W+ 

02 

C 

•*-> 

n 

o 

<+H 

-4-> 

?H 

Tl 

o 

Cy 

Ph  a 

3 

fi 

■  ^^ 

03 

ci 

— 

-^ 


CO 


a. 


0 

w 

— j 

<5 

4J 

J 

<u 

«4H 
O 

£ 

r= 

a 

O 

t 

'd 

T3 

fi) 

o 

^ 

— 

•  ^H 

a 

fc 

2  a 

^ 

~  s 

£ 

CD 

C»"3 

a, 

TJ 

c3 

■^    2 

43  a 
§.3 

•  i-n 

w    tC 

n3 

.O 

%° 

a 

CO 

he  le 
Ames 

H  - 

^ 

a> 

o 

—  _ 

M 

■d  -/. 

a 

—  ~ 

c-.r 

C^-tJ 

cS 

■J  HH 

§ 

a>     - 
— -i   cu 

a» 

'o  >> 

H 

2w 

88.-3 

MAGIC  AND  SORCEEY  181 

also  contains  in  bold  characters  five  of  the  beautiful  names 
of  God,  namely,  "  O  Healer,  O  Sufficient  One,  O  Thou  Who 
Carest,  0  Thou  Who  Givest  Health,  O  Thou  Who  Judges!" 
Here  also  we  have  a  number  of  mystical  symbols,  Arabic 
numbers,  etc. 

The  smaller  cup  also  has  on  the  inside  the  first  portion  of 
the  chapter  already  indicated  and  in  addition  the  follow- 
ing verse  from  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  the  Koran : 
"  God  is  the  Light  of  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth ;  His  light 
is  as  a  niche  in  which  is  a  lamp,  and  the  lamp  is  in  the 
glass,  the  glass  is  as  though  it  were  a  glittering  star,"  and  a 
portion  of  the  seventeenth  chapter,  "  The  Night  Journey  " : 
"  And  we  will  send  down  of  the  Koran  that  which  is  a  healing 
and  a  mercy  to  the  believers."  There  is  no  inscription  on 
the  outside  of  the  smaller  cup.  Each  of  the  keys  is  inscribed 
with  the  words,  "  Bismillahi  ar  Rahman  ar  Rahim."  15 

Another  cup  is  used  for  evil  purposes.  It  is  manufactured 
at  Medina  and  bears  the  inscription  in  Arabic,  "  Al  Medina 
the  Illuminated.  In  the  year  1305  A.H."  It  is  made  of 
aromatic  wood  with  a  yellow  tinge  and  a  bitter  taste,  turned 
by  hand  and  with  no  verses  from  the  Koran.  This  cup  is 
called  Al  Kubaiya  al  Kimiya,  or  "  the  cup  of  Alchemy." 
Its  strange  use  is  to  separate  husband  and  wife  or  by  sorcery 
to  injure  a  woman  or  draw  her  away  into  unlawful  love. 
Two  verses  of  the  Koran  are  written  backward  with  semen 
humanis  on  the  inside  of  the  cup  and  it  is  filled  with  water 
and  the  woman  is  made  to  drink  it  secretly.  The  verses  are 
the  following :  "  And  the  whoremonger  shall  marry  none 
but  a  whore  or  an  adultress ;  and  the  whore  shall  none  marry 
but  an  idolater;  God  has  prohibited  this  to  the  believers." 
And  also  a  verse  from  the  sixty-fifth  chapter :  "  O  Thou 
Prophet !  when  ye  divorce  women,  then  divorce  them  at  their 
term,  and  calculate  the  term  and  fear  God  your  Lord.     Do 

15  In  the  name  of  God  the  merciful,  the  compassionate. 


182     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

not  drive  them  out  of  their  houses  unless  they  have  committed 
manifest  adultery." 

That  this  cup  also  is  in  common  use  is  established  by  the 
fact  that  the  person  who  gave  it  to  me  said  that  his  father  in 
Eamleh  (near  Alexandria)  used  to  let  it  out  and  receive  one 
pound  a  night  for  its  use.  Apparently  these  cups  are  man- 
ufactured in  large  quantities  at  Medina  by  the  Moslems 
and  the  virtue  consists  not  only  in  the  power  of  the  Koran 
chapters  but  in  the  material  of  the  cup  and  the  place  of  its 
manufacture. 

Ahmed  Zaki  Pasha,  an  Arabic  scholar  and  secretary  of  the 
Council  of  Ministers  in  Cairo,  read  a  paper  before  the  Egyp- 
tian Institute  recently  with  regard  to  one  of  the  healing 
cups  now  kept  at  the  old  Coptic  Church  as  a  relic.16  From 
this  paper  we  learn  the  following  particulars : 

Magic  Cups  fall  into  two  categories  —  those  which  cure  the 
sufferings  caused  by  violent  and  sudden  emotions  which  the 
Arabs  call  "  Cups  of  Terror,"  and  those  which  serve  to  cure 
maladies,  physical  as  well  as  moral,  and  even  domestic 
troubles.  The  "  Cups  of  Terror  "  are  jealously  preserved  by 
those  who  possess  them,  and  are  in  general  use  to  this  day  in 
Egypt.  The  owners  willingly  lend  them  to  their  suffering 
fellow  mortals;  one  condition,  however,  attaches  to  such 
loans,  non-compliance  with  which  will  cause  the  cup  to  lose 
its  charm  forever  —  the  borrower  must  make  a  monetary  de- 
posit. Zeki  Pasha  related  that  in  the  case  of  one  of  these 
cups,  which  he  produced,  he  had  had  to  pay  the  sum  of 
£75  to  the  mother  of  the  head  of  the  family  possessing  it. 

The  following  is  the  procedure  that  must  be  followed  to 
work  the  charm  of  the  "  Cup  of  Terror."  The  cup  has  to  be 
filled  with  water  at  the  hour  when  the  Faithful  proceed  to  the 
mosque  for  the  dawn  prayer.     A  bunch  of  keys  and  other 

is  A  full  account  of  another  cup  of  this  character  was  given  by  E. 
Rehatsek,  M.C.E.,  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Soc,  Vol.  XIV, 
No.  37.    Our  illustration  is  taken  from  this  article. 


MAGIC  AND  SORCERY  183 

metal  trinkets,  all  of  them  rusty,  are  then  dipped  in  the  water, 
which  is  left  out  in  the  open,  and  which  the  person  to  he 
cured  has  to  drink  the  next  morning.  This  ceremony,  re- 
peated three,  seven,  or  forty  consecutive  nights,  as  the  case 
may  be,  invariably  cures  any  one  suffering  from  the  effects 
of  strong  emotions. 

The  other  category,  which  is  far  more  interesting  from 
both  the  superstitious  and  the  historic  point  of  view,  falls 
into  two  classes,  those  that  are  anonymous, —  i.e.  undated,  and 
those  that  bear  either  the  name  of  a  distinguished  personage 
or  a  definite  date.  It  is  to  the  second  class  of  this  category 
that  the  cup  forming  the  subject  of  the  paper  belongs. 

This  cup  Zeki  Pasha  calls  the  Saladin  Cup,  because  of  the 
dedication  which  is  inscribed  upon  it.  The  inside,  made  of 
white  brass,  bears  a  circular  inscription  consisting  of  mystic 
and  cabalistic  letters,  which,  albeit  several  Arabic  letters  and 
cyphers  are  distinguishable,  are  so  intermingled  that  it  is 
quite  impossible  to  make  anything  out  of  them.  Above  this 
inscription  are  sixteen  medallions,  identical  in  form  but  with 
alternating  Koranic  and  mystic  inscriptions,  on  them.  The 
Koranic  medallions  contain  the  formula :  "  In  the  name  of 
God,  the  Merciful  and  All-Forgiving."  The  original  bottom 
of  the  cup  has  disappeared,  and  has  been  replaced  by  a 
curious  piece  of  copper,  on  which  there  are  no  inscriptions. 
On  the  outside  of  the  cup,  which  is  made  of  red  copper,  is  the 
dedicatory  formula,  which  is  worth  reproducing.  It  runs  as 
follows : 

"  Honor  to  our  Lord,  the  Sultan  King,  the  defender  of 
the  cause  of  God,  who  is  supported  (by  Him)  the  vic- 
torious, Abu-1-Mouzaffar,  Yusef,  the  co-sharer  of  the 
Commander  of  the  Faithful !  (This  cup)  has  been  proved 
by  experience  (to  be  a  cure  for)  viper  and  scorpion  bites, 
fever,  to  bring  about  the  return  of  her  husband  to  the 


184     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

divorced  and  abandoned  woman,  to  cure  (the  bite  of  a) 
mad  dog,  intestinal  pains,  colic,  headache  ...  to  destroy 
the  effects  of  witchcraft,  (to  stop)  bleeding,  to  exorcise  the 
evil  eye,  to  drive  away  sadness  and  heart  qualms,  and  all 
ills  and  infirmities  except  death  ...  to  prevent  the  vexa- 
tions caused  by  troublesome  children.  (It  should  be) 
placed  at  the  head  (of  the  patient)  and  be  used  as  a  bath 
by  the  old  maid  (to  help  her  get  a  husband)." 

Below  this  inscription  are  ten  medallions,  alternately  round 
and  trapezoid  in  form.  All  are  covered  with  mystic  signs 
entirely  incomprehensible  to  us  to-day.  Underneath  the 
medallions  is  a  circular  inscription  in  Arabic  characters, 
some  of  which  are  obliterated,  but  from  which  with  the  help 
of  contemporary  cups  in  the  Arab  Museum,  it  has  been  pos- 
sible to  reconstruct  the  following  text : 

"  Made  after  astrological  observations  reproduced  and 
engraved  during  the  apogee  of  the  star  and  according  to  the 
horoscopes  derived  from  the  astral  tables.  This  has  been 
agreed  upon  and  adopted  by  the  principal  religious  heads 
of  the  Rashidite  Caliphs  in  order  to  safeguard  the  Moslem 
community.  Executed  at  Mecca  in  the  year  .  .  .  for  all 
ills  and  infirmities." 


MAGIC  AND  SORCERY 


185 


TALISMANIC  MEDICINE  CUP 
From  Rehatsck's  Article  "Magic" — Jour.  Asiatic  Soc,  Vol.  XIV:  37. 


CHAPTEE  X 

AMULETS,  CHARMS  AND  KNOTS 

The  belief  in  the  magic  effect  of  inanimate  objects  on  the 
course  of  events  seems  to  belong  to  a  condition  of  the  intellect 
so  low  as  to  be  incapable  of  clear  reasoning  regarding  cause 
and  effect.  Yet  it  is  so  early  a  form  of  belief  or  super-belief 
(i.e.  superstition)  that  it  survives  the  rise  of  knowledge  and 
reasoning  among  most  peoples.  The  lowest  of  mankind  — 
the  Tasmanians  —  had  great  confidence  in  the  power  of  amu- 
lets, the  Shilluks  of  the  Sudan  wear  them  in  a  bunch,  the 
Arabs  have  always  had  great  faith  in  charms,  and  Southern 
Italy  —  in  our  own  as  in  Pliny's  time  —  abounds  in  amulets. 
In  ancient  Egypt  they  were  even  more  common  than  they 
are  to-day.  "  On  examining  the  two  hundred  and  seventy 
different  kinds  of  amulets  found  in  Egypt/'  says  Dr.  Flinders 
Petrie,  "  there  are  only  about  a  dozen  which  remained  un- 
classed,  and  without  any  known  meaning.  The  various  ascer- 
tained meanings  may  be  completely  put  in  order  under  five 
great  classes.  These  are  (1)  the  amulets  of  Similars,  which 
are  for  influencing  similar  parts,  or  functions,  or  occurrences, 
for  the  wearer;  (2)  the  amulets  of  Powers,  for  conferring 
powers,  and  capacities,  especially  upon  the  dead;  (3)  the 
amulets  of  Property,  which  are  entirely  derived  from  the 
funeral  offerings,  and  are  thus  peculiar  to  Egypt;  (4)  the 
amulets  of  Protection  such  as  charms  and  curative  amulets; 
(5)  the  figures  of  gods,  connected  with  the  worship  of  the 
gods  and  their  functions."  *  All  these  classes  of  amulets, 
except  the  last,  are  in  use  among  Moslems  to-day,  in  many 

i  "  Amulets  of  Ancient  Egypt,"  p.  6. 

186 


AMULETS,  CHARMS  AND  KNOTS  187 

cases  of  the  same  form  and  material  as  in  the  days  of  the 
Pharaohs.  Metal  discs,  animal  shapes,  etc.,  similar  to  those 
that  were  used  in  the  days  of  Isis  are  still  in  use  by  the 
Egyptians,  as  is  shown  by  Mr.  Budge.  The  ancient  Egyp- 
tians used  magical  figures  made  of  wax  just  as  they  do  to- 
day. The  names  of  the  gods  were  inscribed  in  magical 
fashion  then  as  now,  and  the  ceremonies  used  for  purification, 
sacrifice  and  horoscopes  are  strangely  like  those  we  find  in 
modern  Moslem  books. 

Not  only  in  Egypt  but  in  all  the  lands  of  the  East  and 
wherever  Islam  has  carried  its  stern  monotheistic  creed  the 
use  of  animistic  charms  and  amulets  has  persisted  or  been 
modified  or  in  many  cases  been  introduced  by  Moslem  teach- 
ing. Moslem  amulets  are  made  of  anything  that  has  magical 
power.  Everything  that  attracts  the  eye  (even  the  tattoo 
marks  or  the  mole  on  the  face)  is  useful  for  this  purpose. 
Amulets  are  used  on  horses,  camels  and  donkeys  as  well  as 
for  men,  women  and  children.  The  ringing  noise  of  metal 
charms  drives  away  the  demons.  Amulets  are  worn  round 
the  neck  and  as  rings,  anklets,  girdles,  etc.  The  amulet  which 
hangs  around  the  neck  was  universal  in  pre-Islamic  days  and 
was  called  tamima.  When  the  boy  reaches  puberty  the 
tamima  is  cut  off.  The  following  names  are  given  to  amulets 
and  talismans  in  Arabic : 

audha  —  root  signifies  to  protect  —  take  refuge. 
hi  jab  —  root  signifies  to  shield  as  with  a  curtain. 
hirz  —  root  signifies  to  guard  against  evil. 
nafra  —  root  signifies  to  flee  from,  i.  e.,  make  demons  flee. 
wadh  —  root  signifies  to  make  distinct. 
tamima  —  root    signifies    to   be   complete    (oldest    name 
given) . 

Has  this  word  tamima  any  connection  with  the  Urim  and 
Thummim  of  the  Old  Testament?     No  doubt  Moslem  relig- 


188      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ious  magic  owes  much  to  later  Jewish  sources.  The  charac- 
ter and  even  the  shape  of  amulets  is  often  borrowed  from 
Judaism,  e.  g.,  we  have  in  Islam  something  very  similar  to 
"  ABRACADABRA,"  a  magic  word  or  formula  used  in  in- 
cantations, especially  against  the  intermittent  fever  or  in- 
flammation, the  patient  wearing  an  amulet  upon  his  neck, 
with  the  following  inscription : 

ABRACADABRA 

ABRAC AD ABR 

ABR A  CAD AB 

ABR AC AD A 

ABR A CAD 

AB  R AC A 

ABRAC 

ABR  A 

ABR 

A  B 

A 

The  underlying  idea  was  to  force  the  spirit  of  the  disease 
gradually  to  relinquish  its  hold  upon  the  patient.2 

The  vain  search  for  the  supreme  name  of  God,  a  name 
which  Solomon  is  said  to  have  used,  is  common  among  those 
who  write  talismans.  The  Gnostics  in  their  magic  used  the 
word  ABRAXAS  as  that  of  the  highest  being ;  the  value  of 
the  letters  in  this  name  equal  365,  the  number  of  the  days 
in  the  year.  Many  derivations  are  given  for  the  word  and 
it  became  a  common  magical  term  in  Judaism. 

Conjuring  spirits  or  exorcising  demons  in  Islam  is  by  the 
use  of  certain  prayer-formulas.  These  formulas  compel  God 
to  do  what  is  requested  and  indicate  a  belief  in  the  fetish 
power  of  the  words  themselves.     It  is  especially  the  use  of  the 

2  Has   this   any  relation   to   Abraka  and   dabra,   i.e.   "Most  blessed 
word  "  ?  or  "  I  will  bless  the  Word  "  ? 


AMULETS,  CHAKMS  AND  KNOTS  189 

names  of  God  and  the  great  name  of  God  that  produce  these 
results. 

The  number  99  for  the  names  of  God  is  a  hyperbole  for  any 
large  number.  The  Arabs  were  accustomed  to  say  33,  44, 
99,  333,  etc.,  for  any  large  number  and  the  significance  of  the 
saying  "  God  has  99  names,"  indicates  simply  that  his  names 
are  manifold.  The  number  99  is  not  given  by  Bukhari  nor 
Muslim.  According  to  Goldziher  it  was  first  given  by  Tir- 
madhi  and  Ibn  Maja,  and  the  latter  even  states  that  there  is 
no  good  authority  for  this  tradition. 

There  are  many  different  lists  of  the  names.  Kastallani 
points  out  no  less  than  twenty-three  variants.  In  later  days 
under  the  influence  of  the  Sufis  the  number  of  God's  names 
increased  to  one  thousand  and  one.  One  of  the  most  popular 
books  of  common  prayer,  by  'Abdallah  Mohammed  Gazali 
(died  870  A.  H.),  illustrates  this  magical  use  of  God's  names 
and  often  uses  such  expressions  as  "  I  beseech  Thee  by  Thy 
hidden  and  most  Holy  Name  which  no  creature  understands, 
etc.,  etc."  There  are  many  books  on  the  magical  use  of  the 
names  of  God,  especially  one  called  Da/wa  al  juljuliyeh  (i.  e., 
J  alia  jallalaliu) . 

These  names  of  God  are  used  not  only  for  lawful  prayer 
but  for  strength  and  power  to  execute  unlawful  acts.  This 
shows  that  they  have  a  magical  rather  than  a  holy  character. 
In  the  notoriously  obscene  book  Rajua,  al  Sheikh  ila  Saba, 
written  by  a  "  pious  "  Moslem,  these  names  of  God  are  recom- 
mended to  be  used  for  immoral  purposes.3 

The  terms  used  in  magic  are  Da'wah;  'azima  or  Incanta- 
tion ;  Kahana  —  Divination ;  Ruqya  —  Casting  a  Spell ;  and 
Sihr  —  Magic.  The  two  former  are  considered  lawful,  the 
latter  are  considered  forbidden  by  many  authorities.4 

s  A  vast  literature  on  the  use  of  God's  names  and  the  magic  of  num- 
bers has  grown  up  called  Kutub  al  Ruhaniyat  on  Geomancy,  Oritho- 
mancy  and  dreams. 

4  Hughes'  Dictionary,  p.  304. 


190     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

According  to  a  statement  of  the  Prophet,  what  a  fortune- 
teller says  may  sometimes  be  true ;  because  if  one  of  the  jinn 
steals  away  the  truth  he  carries  it  to  the  magician's  ears ;  for 
the  angels  come  down  to  the  regions  next  the  earth  (the  lowest 
heaven),  and  mention  the  words  that  have  been  pre-ordained 
in  heaven;  and  the  devils,  or  evil  jinn,  listen  to  what  the 
angels  say,  and  hear  the  orders  predestined  in  heaven,  and 
carry  them  to  the  fortune-tellers.  It  is  on  such  occasions  that 
shooting  stars  are  hurled  at  the  devil.  It  is  also  said  that  the 
diviner  obtains  the  services  of  the  devil  (Shaitan)  by  magic 
arts,  and  by  names  invoked,  and  by  the  burning  of  perfumes, 
and  other  practices  he  informs  him  of  secret  things.  For  the 
devils,  before  the  mission  of  the  Apostle  of  God,  used  to  as- 
cend to  heaven,  and  hear  words  by  stealth.  That  the  evil  jinn 
are  believed  still  to  ascend  sufficiently  near  to  the  lowest 
heaven  to  hear  the  conversation  of  the  angels,  and  so  to  assist 
magicians,  appears  from  many  traditions  and  is  asserted  by 
all  Moslems. 

For  all  of  the  Arabic  terms  mentioned  above  the  English 
word  is  Amulet,  concerning  the  derivation  of  which  there  has 
been  much  dispute.  Formerly  it  was  supposed  to  be  derived 
from  the  Arabic  word  Hamala,  but  it  really  is  an  ancient 
Latin  word  of  unknown  etymology.  Moslem  amulets  may 
be  classified  as  of  Pagan,  Jewish,  or  Christian  origin.  In 
Egypt,  for  example,  a  common  amulet  used  on  children  con- 
sists of  a  small  leaden  fish,  similar  to  the  fish  amulets  found 
in  the  catacombs  which  represented  the  initials  of  the  Greek 
words  for  Jesus  Christ,  Son  of  God,  Saviour. 

The  use  of  amulets  was  very  extensive  among  the  Jews  in 
the  Rabbinical  period  and  we  can  clearly  trace  many  of  the 
amulets  in  use  to-day  by  Moslems  to  these  Jewish  practices. 
The  amulet  itself,  it  appears,  might  consist  either  of  an  article 
inscribed  with  the  name  of  God,  with  a  Scripture  passage  or 
the  like,   or  of  the  root  of  some  herb.     Grains  of  wheat 


AMULETS,  CHARMS  AND  KNOTS  191 

wrapped  in  leather  sometimes  served  as  amulets.  The  most 
frequent  form  of  amulet,  however,  was  a  small  pearl  wrapped 
in  leather.  To  protect  a  horse  from  evil  influence,  a  fox's 
tail  or  a  crimson  plume  was  fastened  between  its  eyes.  Chil- 
dren owing  to  their  feeble  powers  of  resistance,  were  held  to 
be  much  exposed  to  the  danger  of  magic  fascination;  they 
were,  therefore,  protected  by  means  of  knots,  written  parch- 
ments, etc.,  tied  round  their  necks.  Furniture  and  house- 
hold belongings  were  protected  by  inscribing  the  name  of 
God  upon  foot-rests  and  handles.  Usually,  at  least  among 
men,  amulets  were  worn  on  the  arm;  but  exceptionally  they 
were  carried  in  the  hand.  Women  and  children  wore  them 
especially  on  neck-chains,  rings,  or  other  articles  of  jewelry. 
An  amulet  would  sometimes  be  placed  in  a  hollow  stick,  and 
would  be  all  the  more  efficacious  because  no  one  would  suspect 
its  presence ;  it  was  a  species  of  concealed  weapon.  Figura- 
tively, The  Torah  is  said  to  be  such  an  amulet  for  Israel. 
The  priestly  benediction  (Num.  vi,  24-26)  protected  Israel. 
against  the  evil  eye.  .  .  .  Upon  an  amulet  said  to  be  potent 
in  curing  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog,  was  written,  "  Yah,  Yah, 
Lord  of  Hosts. "  Medicine  did  not  disdain  the  use  of 
amulets.  Abraham  they  taught  wore  a  jewel  on  his  neck 
which  healed  every  person  he  looked  upon.  A  "  stone  of 
preservation  "  was  said  to  protect  women  from  miscarriage.5 
This  stone  of  preservation  is  still  a  common  superstition  in 
Egypt  among  Moslems ;  it  is  called  in  Arabic  Hajr  an 
Naqdha  and  is  loaned  by  different  families  in  a  neighbor- 
hood to  rub  on  the  limbs  of  a  convalescent,  to  protect  children 
against  contagion,  etc. 

The  later  science  of  amulets  and  their  use  seems  to  be 
almost  wholly  borrowed  from  Judaism.  Moslem  works  on 
the  subject  follow  the  Cabila.  We  read  thait  in  the  Middle 
Ages  Christians  employed  Jews  to  make  amulets  for  them. 

5  The  Jewish  Encyclopedia,  Vol.  I,  art.  Amulet. 


192     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

At  present  in  Cairo,  Baghdad  and  Damascus  Jewish  silver- 
smiths carry  on  a  large  trade  in  Moslem  amulets,  in  fact  an 
amulet  is  supposed  to  have  special  power  if  it  has  not  only 
Arabic  but  Hebrew  letters  on  it. 

The  sale  of  amulets  of  every  description  is  carried  on 
within  a  stone's  throw  of  Al  Azhar  University,  and  some  of 
the  professors,  as  well  as  many  of  the  students,  promote  the 
industry.  A  favorite  amulet,  printed  by  the  thousands  and 
sent  from  Cairo  throughout  all  North  Africa  and  the  Near 
East,  is  entitled  The  Amulet  of  the  8 even  Covenants  of  Solo- 
mon. It  consists  of  a  strip  of  paper  seventy-nine  inches  in 
length  and  four  inches  in  breadth,  lithographed,  and  with  por- 
tions of  it  covered  with  red,  yellow,  green,  or  gold  paint. 
The  whole  is  then  rolled  up,  tied,  put  into  an  amulet  case 
of  leather  and  silver,  and  worn  by  men  as  well  as  by  women 
and  children.  The  specimen  which  is  translated  herewith 
was  purchased  from  Mohammed  el  Maliji,  a  bookseller  near 
Al-Azhar  and  renowned  for  his  controversial  writings  and 
anti-Christian  poems.  As  typical  of  the  real  character  of 
popular  Islam  this  translation,  which  is  verbatim  except 
where  indicated,  will  interest  the  reader: 

THE  SEVEN  COVENANTS  OF  SOLOMON 

What  God  wills  will  be 
There  is  no  god  but  God,  Mohammed  is  the  Apostle  of  God. 


Abu  Bakr 

God  Most  High 

Omar 

Hassan 

Mohammed 
Peace  upon  him 

Hussein 

Othman 

'Ali 

AMULETS,  CHARMS  AND  KNOTS  193 

Gabriel,  Peace  upon  him ;  Michael,  Peace  upon  him ;  Israfil, 
Peace  upon  him;  'Azrail,  Peace  upon  him. 

An  amulet  for  jinns  and  payment  of  debts,  and  a  preserver 
from  all  secret  diseases,  and  for  traveling  by  land  and  sea, 
and  for  meeting  governors,  and  for  winning  love,  and  for  sell- 
ing and  buying,  and  for  traveling  by  day  and  night :  Cer- 
tainly my  prosperity  is  through  God  and  Mohammed.  Him 
alone  I  have  trusted  and  to  Him  I  repent. 

The  Seven  Covenants  against  all  evils  and  to  preserve  men 
and  cause  blessings. 

Talha,  Zobeir,  Abd-al-Rahman,  El  Haj. 

It  is  useful  for  the  sting  of  scorpions,  serpents,  and  all 
other  insects.  The  one  who  carries  this  (amulet)  gains  by 
its  blessing  all  desires. 

(Here  a  picture  is  given  of  a  scorpion  and  a  snake.) 

Certainly  every  person  attains  to  what  he  purposes.  This 
is  the  amulet  of  great  power  and  might  and  proof. 

"  IN  THE  NAME  OF  GOB  THE  MERCIFUL,  THE 

COMPASSIONATE 

"  Thanks  be  to  God  the  Lord  of  the  worlds,  and  prayer  and 
peace  be  upon  the  noblest  apostle,  our  Lord  Mohammed,  and 
upon  his  family  and  Companions.  But  after  this  it  is  re- 
lated of  the  prophet  of  God  Solomon,  son  of  David,  (peace 
upon  both),  that  he  saw  an  old  woman  with  hoary  hair,  blue 
eyes,  joined  eyebrows,  with  scrawny  limbs,  disheveled  hair, 
a  gaping  mouth  from  which  flames  issued.  She  cleaved  the 
air  with  her  claws  and  broke  trees  with  her  loud  voice.  The 
prophet  Solomon  said  to  her,  '  Art  thou  of  the  jinn  or  human  ? 
I  have  never  seen  worse  than  you.'  She  said,  '  O  prophet  of 
God,  I  am  the  mother  of  children  (Um-es-Subyan) .  I  have 
dominion  upon  sons  of  Adam  and  daughters  of  Eve,  and  upon 


1941     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

their  possessions.  I  enter  houses  and  gobble  like  turkeys  and 
bark  like  dogs,  and  low  like  cows,  and  make  a  noise  like  cam- 
els, and  neigh  like  horses,  and  bray  like  donkeys,  and  hiss  like 
serpents,  and  represent  everything.  I  make  wombs  barren 
and  destroy  children.  I  come  to  women  and  close  their 
wombs  and  leave  them,  and  they  will  not  conceive,  and  then 
people  say  they  are  barren.  I  come  to  a  woman  in  pregnancy 
and  destroy  her  offspring.  It  is  I,  O  prophet  of  God,  who 
come  to  the  woman  engaged  and  tie  the  tails  of  her  garments, 
and  announce  woes  and  disasters.  It  is  I,  O  prophet  of  God, 
who  come  to  men  and  make  them  impotent.  (The  expres- 
sions here  used  are  too  indecent  for  translation.)  It  is  I, 
O  prophet  of  God,  who  come  to  men  and  oppose  their  selling 
and  buying.  If  they  trade,  they  do  not  gain,  and  if  they 
plow  they  will  not  reap.  It  is  I,  O  prophet  of  God,  who 
cause  all  these.'  Then  Solomon  (peace  be  upon  him),  seized 
her  in  anger  and  said  to  her,  '  O  cursed  one,  you  shall  not  go 
before  you  give  me  covenants  for  the  sons  of  Adam  and  daugh- 
ters of  Eve,  and  for  their  wombs  and  their  children,  or  I 
will  cut  you  with  this  sword.'     She  then  gave  the  following : 


t(  e 


The  First  Covenant 


"  i  By  God,  there  is  no  God  but  He,  the  Profiter,  the  Harm- 
ful, the  Possessor  of  this  world  and  the  next,  the  Life-giver, 
the  Guide  to  the  misbelievers,  the  Almighty,  the  Dominant, 
the  Grasper,  from  whom  no  one  can  escape,  and  whom  no  one 
can  overcome  nor  defeat.  I  shall  not  come  near  the  one 
upon  whom  this  amulet  is  hung,  neither  in  travel  nor  in  sleep, 
nor  in  walking,  nor  in  loneliness,  and  God  is  witness  to  what 
I  say,  Here  is  its  seal, 

**  *  The  Second  Covenant 

"  *  In  the  name  of  God,  the  Merciful,  the  Compassionate. 
By  God,  there  is  no  God  but  He,  the  Knower  of  secrets,  the 


AMULETS,  CHASMS  AND  KNOTS  195 

Mighty.  ...  I  will  not  touch  the  one  who  carries  this, 
neither  in  his  humors,  nor  in  his  bones,  nor  in  flesh  nor  blood 
nor  skin  nor  hair ;  nor  by  any  evil  as  long  as  earth  and  heavens 
exist,  and  God  is  witness  to  what  I  say,  and  this  is  the  seal. 


CC   ( 


The  Third  Covenant 


"  '  In  the  name  of  God,  the  Merciful,  the  Compassionate. 
By  God,  who  is  God  but  He,  the  Living,  the  Self-subsisting. 
I  will  not  touch  the  one  who  carries  this,  neither  in  his  pros- 
perity nor  his  children  .  .  .   (etc.,  as  before). 

" '  The  Fourth  Covenant 

"'In  the  name  of  God,  etc.  (Attributes  to  God  differ). 
I  will  not  touch  the  one  who  carries  this  neither  in  his  walk- 
ing nor  sitting,  (etc.). 

" '  The  Fifth  Covenant 

"  '  In  the  name  of  God,  etc.  I  will  not  touch  the  one  who 
carries  this  neither  in  his  property,  nor  trade,  etc.,  etc. 

The  Sixth  Covenant 

"  c  In  the  name  of  God,  etc.  I  will  not  touch  .  .  .  neither 
secretly  nor  openly,  etc.,  etc.'  " 

Then  follow  the  Koranic  verses  called  Al  Munajiyat. 

f  Special  Information  and  Benefit  for  Securing  Love  and 

Friendship 

"  O  Thou  who  dost  unite  the  hearts  of  the  sons  of  Adam  and 
daughters  of  Eve  by  love,  we  ask  you  to  make  the  bearer  ac- 
cepted and  loved  by  all,  and  give  him  light  and  favor.  God 
is  the  Light  of  Heaven. 

"Light  Verse 
"  God  is  the  Light.     The  similitude  of  His  Light  is  as  a 


196     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

niche  in  a  wall  wherein  a  lamp  is  placed  and  the  lamp  en- 
closed in  a  case  of  glass.  The  glass  appears  as  it  were  a 
shining  star.  It  is  lighted  with  the  oil  of  a  blessed  tree,  and 
olive  neither  of  the  east  nor  of  the  west.  It  wanteth  little  but 
that  the  oil  thereof  would  give  light  although  no  fire  touched 
it. 

"  Throne  Verse 

"  God !  There  is  no  god  but  He,  the  Living,  the  Eternal. 
Slumber  doth  not  overtake  Him,  neither  sleep.  To  Him  be- 
longeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Who  shall  in- 
tercede with  Him  except  by  His  permission  ?  He  knows 
what  is  between  their  hands  and  behind  them ;  and  they  can- 
not encompass  aught  of  His  knowledge  except  as  He  please. 
His  throne  is  as  wide  as  heaven  and  earth.  The  preserva- 
tion of  both  is  no  weariness  to  Him.  He  is  the  High,  the 
Mighty." 


Perhaps  the  most  celebrated  amulet  in  the  world  of  Islam 
is  that  called  Al  Budah,  a  magic  square  supposed  to  have  been 
revealed  to  Al  Ghazali  and  now  known  by  his  name.  It  has 
become  the  starting-point  for  a  whole  science  of  talismanic 
symbols.  Some  of  the  Moslem  authorities  say  that  Adam  in- 
vented the  square.  It  is  so  called  from  the  four  Arabic  letters 
which  are  key  to  the  combination.  To  the  popular  mind  this 
word  buduh  has  become  a  sort  of  guardian  angel,  invoking 
both  good  and  bad  fortune.  The  square  is  used  against 
stomach  pains,  to  render  one's  self  invisible,  to  protect  from 
the  evil  eye,  and  to  open  locks ;  but  the  most  common  use  is  to 
insure  the  safe  arrival  of  letters  and  packages. 

A  description  of  a  common  Moslem  amulet  in  silver  is 
given  by  Prof.  D.  B.  Macdonald  in  the  "  Festschrift  of  Ignaz 
Goldziher "  edited  by  Carl  Bezold  (Strassburg,  1911,  p. 
267).     It  was  bought  at  Damascus  and  is  about  two  inches 


AMULETS,  CHAKMS  AND  KNOTS  197 

long,  pear-shaped,  of  silver  metal.  On  one  side  is  Ya  Hafiz 
and  the  names  of  the  Seven  Sleepers  of  the  Cave  and  their 
dog  Qitmir  are  written  in  circular  fashion  to  form  a  hexagon 
or  Solomon's  Seal.  On  the  other  side  is  a  magic  square  with 
the  names  of  the  four  archangels  around  its  sides.  All  the 
elements  of  the  charm  are  of  great  talismanic  value.  Accord- 
ing to  Lane  these  names  of  archangels,  the  sleepers  and  their 
dog  are  sometimes  engraved  in  the  bottom  of  a  drinking-cup, 
and  more  commonly  on  the  round  tray  of  tinned  copper  which 
placed  on  a  stool  forms  the  table  for  dinner,  supper,  etc. 
Another  charm  supposed  to  have  similar  efficacy  is  composed 
of  the  names  of  those  common  articles  of  property  which  the 
Prophet  left  at  his  decease.  These  relics  were  two  subhahs 
(or  rosaries),  his  mushaf  (or  writings)  in  unarranged  frag- 
ments, his  muhhulah  (or  the  vessel  in  which  he  kept  the  black 
powder  with  which  he  painted  the  edges  of  his  eyelids),  two 
seggadehs  (or  prayer  carpets),  a  hand-mill,  a  staff,  a  tooth- 
pick, a  suit  of  clothes,  the  ewer  which  he  used  in  ablution, 
a  pair  of  sandals,  a  burdeh  (or  woolen  covering),  three  mats, 
a  coat  of  mail,  a  long  woolen  coat,  his  white  mule/  ed-duldul, 
and  his  she-camel,  eVadba.6 

We  need  not  be  surprised  at  these  modern  relic  worshipers 
for  according  to  Tradition  even  the  Companions  carried  hair 
of  the  Prophet  in  their  head-gear  on  the  field  of  battle  and 
Hasan  and  Hussein,  the  grand-sons  of  the  Prophet,  wore  small 
amulets  filled  with  the  down  of  the  feathers  of  the  angel 
Gabriel.7 

In  addition  to  the  amulets  mentioned  we  give  the  transla- 
tion of  an  amulet  from  Upper  Egypt  written  on  ordinary 
paper  with  black  ink  in  running  hand.  At  the  end  there  are 
some  marks  and  symbols  including  the  usual  so-called  Seal 
of  Solomon. 

6  "  Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Modern  Egyptians/'  Lane,  p.  255. 
i  Wackidi  429,  Aghani  14:163;  Buchari  4:33. 


198     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

"  O !  the  Blessedness  of  '  In  the  Name  of  God  the  Merciful, 
the  Compassionate ' —  Peace  and  Prayers  of  God  are  upon 
our  Master  Mohammed,  family  and  companions."  Your 
God  and  ours  is  One.  No  God  but  He  the  Merciful,  the  Com- 
passionate. God,  there  is  no  God  but  He,  the  Living,  the 
Eternal.  Slumber  doth  not  overtake  Him,  neither  sleep. 
To  Him  belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  the  earth. 
Who  shall  intercede  with  Him  except  by  His  permission? 
He  knows  what  is  between  their  hands  and  behind  them ;  and 
they  cannot  encompass  aught  of  His  knowledge  except  as  He 
please.  His  throne  is  as  wide  as  Heavens  and  the  earth. 
The  preservation  of  both  is  no  weariness  to  Him,  He  is  the 
High,  the  Mighty.  The  Apostle  believeth  in  what  hath  been 
sent  down  from  His  Lord,  as  do  the  faithful  also.  Each 
one  believeth  in  God  and  His  Angels  and  His  Scriptures  and 
His  apostles;  we  make  no  distinction  between  any  of  His 
Apostles,  and  they  say  we  have  heard  and  we  obey.  Thy 
mercy  Lord  for  unto  Thee  must  we  return!  God  will  not 
burden  any  soul  beyond  its  power.  It  shall  enjoy  the  good 
which  it  hath  acquired,  and  shall  bear  the  evil  for  the  ac- 
quirement of  which  it  labored.  O  our  Lord  punish  us  not 
if  we  forget,  or  fall  into  sin :  O  our  Lord,  and  lay  not  on  us  a 
load  like  that  which  thou  hast  laid  on  those  who  had  been 
before  us,  O  our  Lord ;  and  lay  not  on  us  that  for  which  we 
have  not  strength :  but  blot  out  our  sins  and  forgive  us,  and 
have  pity  on  us.  Thou  art  our  Protector:  help  us  then 
against  the  unbelievers.  Now  hath  an  apostle  come  to  you 
from  among  yourselves:  your  iniquities  press  heavily  upon 
him.  He  is  careful  over  you,  and  towards  the  faithful,  com- 
passionate, merciful.  And  if  they  turn  away,  then  say :  God 
sufficeth  me;  there  is  no  God  but  He.  In  Him  put  I  my 
trust.     And  He  is  the  Lord  of  the  Glorious  Throne. 

"  H.  S.  Sh.  M.  In  the  Name  of  the  Living,  the  Eternal, 
who  never  dies,  I  have  preserved  you  from  all  evil.     No 


AMULETS,  CHAKMS  AND  KNOTS  199 

power  and  no  strength  except  in  the  Great  One.  In  His 
name  nothing  can  hurt  you  in  earth  or  in  heaven.  He  is 
the  All  Hearer,  the  All  Knowing.  I  take  refuge  in  the  Face 
of  God  the  Gracious,  and  in  the  Words  of  God  being  full, 
which  no  body,  believer  or  unbeliever,  can  comprehend,  of  any 
evil  from  heaven,  and  what  happens  in  it,  and  what  is  in 
earth,  or  comes  out  of  it,  or  the  events  of  day  or  night.  Let 
all  events  be  good.  In  the  name  of  God  the  Creator,  the 
Greatest.  This  amulet  is  a  refuge  against  what  I  fear." 
(Names  of  some  Jinn  —  illegible.)  He  is  the  All  Hearer, 
the  All  Knower. 

"  Had  we  sent  down  this  Koran  on  some  Mountain,  thou 
wouldst  certainly  have  seen  it  humbling  itself,  and  cleaving 
as  under  for  the  fear  of  God.  Such  are  the  parables  we  pro- 
pose to  men  in  order  that  they  may  reflect.  He  is  God  beside 
whom  there  is  no  other  God,  He  is  the  King,  the  Holy,  the 
Peaceful,  the  Faithful,  the  Guardian,  the  Mighty,  the  Strong, 
the  Most  High.  Far  be  the  Glory  of  God  from  that  which 
they  unite  with  him.  He  is  God  the  Producer,  the  Maker, 
the  Fashioner,  to  whom  as  ascribed  excellent  titles.  What- 
ever is  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth  praiseth  Him ;  and  He 
is  the  Mighty,  the  Wise.  In  the  name  of  God  the  Compas- 
sionate, the  Merciful.  Say  He  is  one  God,  God  the  Ever- 
lasting. He  begetteth  not,  and  is  not  begotten,  and  there  is 
none  like  unto  Him.  In  the  Name  of  God,  etc.  ...  I  be- 
take me  for  refuge  to  the  Lord  of  the  Daybreak,  against  the 
mischief  of  His  creation,  and  against  the  mischief  of  the  first 
darkness  when  it  overspreadeth  and  against  the  mischief  of 
any  enchantress,  and  against  the  mischief  of  the  envier  when 
he  envieth.  In  the  Name  of  God,  etc.  .  .  .  Say  I  betake  me 
for  refuge  to  the  Lord  of  men,  the  King  of  men,  the  God  of 
men,  against  the  mischief  of  the  stealthily  withdrawing  whis- 
perer, who  whispereth  in  man's  breast  —  against  Jinn  and 
men. 


200      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

"  In  the  Name  of  God  the  Compassionate  the  Merciful.  I 
bewitch  thee  (charm  thee  against)  every  evil,  every  envying 
soul.  Praise  be  to  God,  the  Lord  of  men,  the  King  of  men, 
the  God  of  men,  against  the  mischief  of  the  stealthily  with- 
drawing whisperer,  who  whispers  in  man's  breast  —  against 
Jinn  and  men.  Prayers  of  God  and  his  peace  are  on  our 
master  Mohammed." 

In  East  Arabia  superstitions  and  charms  are  almost  as 
common  as  in  Egypt  although  the  Wahabi  reformers  made 
strong  protest  in  their  day.  "  In  Bahrein,"  writes  Mrs.  Dyk- 
stra,  "  a  black  kettle,  turned  upside  down  and  placed  on  a 
pole,  guards  the  owner  of  the  house  or  compound  from  evil. 
To  refer  to  the  plague  or  any  other  epidemic  is  to  bring  it  on, 
for  that  is  blaming  God  and  He  will  become  angry,  and  the 
epidemic  is  then  His  punishment  upon  them.  A  mother  must 
not  weep  over  the  death  of  a  child  less  than  eight  years,  for 
her  tears  will  be  as  fat  in  the  fire  to  her  child  to  continue  his 
pain  in  the  other  world.  A  dirty  face  and  black  clothes  are  a 
baby's  protection  against  jinns.  A  new-born  baby  must  be 
spat  on  to  secure  its  health  and  preservation.  Amulets  and 
charms  are  worn  by  all  to  protect  from  evil  and  sickness." 

In  Persia,  blue  beads,  and  turquoises  are  used  and  little 
metal  hands  called  the  hand  of  Ali.  A  large  hand  of  'Ali  fas- 
tened to  the  top  of  a  pole  is  worshiped  in  a  mountain  village 
near  Tabriz ;  it  was  brought  to  the  city,  but  not  liking  it,  says 
the  legend,  went  back  by  itself.  It  is  taken  on  a  yearly  pil- 
grimage to  Mecca. 

Mr.  Gerdener  of  Cape  Town  tells  us  the  most  common  amu- 
lets among  Moslems  there  are  bits  of  rag,  containing  herbs  or 
some  drug.  But  more  frequently  they  contain  a  small  bit  of 
paper  with  certain  Arabic  writings, —  verses  from  the  Koran 
and  mysterious  looking  squares  with  letters  and  figures  in  the 
corners  are  also  used.     These  they  call  their  power. 


AMULETS,  CHAKMS  AND  KNOTS  201 

In  Tunis  the  most  common  amulets  are  little  leathern  bags 
in  which  are  sewn  written  charms,  bits  of  incense,  white  cara- 
way seeds,  also  shells  of  snails,  and  "  Fatima's  hand  " ;  the 
latter  being  often  hung  round  the  neck  of  cows  or  donkeys  to 
keep  them  from  disease.  One  also  sees  the  tails  of  fish  over 
house  doors  and  the  skull  and  horns  of  cattle. 

It  would  not  be  an  exaggeration  to  say  of  Moslems  in 
Egypt,  Persia  and  Morocco  what  is  stated  by  Nassau  of  pa- 
gans in  West  Africa;  the  only  difference  between  the  pagan 
talisman  and  the  Moslem  one  is  that  the  pagan  connects  his 
magic  with  the  gods  of  the  bush;  the  Moslem  connects  his 
with  Allah  and  the  Koran : 

"  For  every  human  passion  or  desire  of  every  part  of  our 
nature,  for  our  thousand  necessities  or  wishes,  a  fetish  can 
be  made,  its  operation  being  directed  to  the  attainment  of  one 
specified  wish,  and  limited  in  power  only  by  the  possible  ex- 
istence of  some  more  powerful  antagonizing  spirit.  This 
amulet  hung  on  the  plantation  fence  or  from  the  branches  of 
plants  in  the  garden  is  either  to  prevent  theft  or  to  sicken 
the  thief;  hung  over  the  doorway  of  the  house,  to  bar  the 
entrance  of  evil ;  hung  from  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  to  insure  a 
successful  voyage;  worn  on  the  arm  in  hunting,  to  ensure 
an  accurate  aim ;  worn  on  any  part  of  the  person,  to  give  suc- 
cess in  loving,  hating,  planting,  fishing,  buying  and  so  forth, 
through  the  whole  range  of  daily  work  and  interests."  8 

According  to  Tradition,  Mohammed  sanctioned  the  use  of 
spells  and  magic  so  long  as  the  names  were  only  the  names  of 
God  or  of  good  angels.9  It  is,  therefore,  lawful  to  use  charms 
and  amulets  of  this  character.  The  system  of  incantation 
used  is  called  Al  Dafwa;  this  science  is  used  to  establish 
friendship,  to  cure  sickness,  to  accomplish  desire,  to  obtain 

8  "Fetishism  in  West  Africa." 
•Mishkat,  21:1. 


202     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

victory  in  battle.     It  is  an  occult  science  and  is  divided  into 
four  heads : 10 

(1)  The  qualifications  necessary  for  him  who  practices  it: 
When  any  one  enters  upon  the  study  of  the  sciences,  he  must 
begin  by  paying  the  utmost  attention  to  cleanliness.  No  dog 
or  cat  or  any  stranger  is  allowed  to  enter  his  dwelling  place, 
and  he  must  purify  his  house  by  burning  wood  aloes,  pastiles, 
and  other  sweet-scented  perfumes.  He  must  take  the  utmost 
care  that  his  body  is  in  no  way  denied,  and  he  must  bathe  and 
perform  the  legal  ablutions  constantly.  A  most  important 
preparation  for  the  exercise  of  the  art  is  a  forty-days'  fast 
{chilla),  when  he  must  sleep  on  a  mat  spread  on  the  ground, 
sleep  as  little  as  possible,  and  not  enter  into  general  con- 
versation. 

Exorcists  not  infrequently  repair  to  some  cave  or  retired 
spot  in  order  to  undergo  complete  abstinence.  The  diet  of 
the  exorcist  must  depend  upon  the  kind  of  asma,  or  names  of 
God  he  intends  to  recite.  If  they  are  the  asma  ul-jalaliyah, 
or  "  terrible  attributes  "  of  the  Almighty,  then  he  must  re- 
frain from  the  use  of  meat,  fish,  eggs,  honey,  and  musk.  If 
they  are  the  asma  ul-jamaliyah,  or  "  amiable  attributes/'  he 
must  abstain  from  butter,  curds,  vinegar,  salt  and  ambergris. 
If  he  intends  to  recite  both  attributes,  he  must  then  abstain 
from  such  things  as  garlic,  onions,  and  assafoetida. 

(2)  The  use  of  the  tables  required  by  the  performer: 
This  contains  an  arrangement  of  the  alphabet  of  which  we 
give  an  example  on  the  next  page. 

To  use  the  table  one  takes  the  initial  letters  of  say  Ahmad 
(A)  and  Daniel  (D)  and  copies  out  in  double  column  the 
result.  The  future  is  then  read  by  discerning  the  agreement 
or  discord  of  the  planets,  the  elements,  the  perfumes,  etc.  In 
addition  to  this  the  perfumes  mentioned  are  burnt  during  the 
incantation.     This  science  is  almost  universally  practiced  in 

io  See  Hughes*  Dictionary  of  Islam,  art.  "  Da'wa." 


AMULETS,  CHAKMS  AND  KNOTS  203 


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204     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

Moslem  lands  and  there  are  hundreds  of  books  on  the  sub- 
ject. The  most  celebrated  is  that  called  "  Shems  al  Ma'arif 
al  Kubra  "  of  Ahmed  ibn  Ali  Al  Buni,  who  died  622  A.  H. 
Among  the  subjects  treated  in  this  book  of  magical  practices 
are  the  following :  to  drive  away  demons,  to  strengthen  mem- 
ory, to  increase  property,  to  gain  love,  to  cure  inflammation, 
to  hear  the  speech  of  Jinn,  to  increase  crops.  He  gives  us 
the  names  on  the  seal  of  Solomon,  the  names  on  the  rod  of 
Moses,  the  names  which  Jesus  used  to  perform  his  miracles, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  There  is  not  a  Moslem  village  from  Tangier  to 
Teheran  where  this  encyclopedia  of  magic  can  not  be  found  in 
daily  use  by  some  Sheikh. 

Among  the  most  common  amulets  in  use  in  India  are  magic 
and  the  latter  drunk;  or  they  are  worn  upon  the  person;  or 
them  are  based  upon  the  well-known  magic  square  of  Al- 
Ghazali. 


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12  "  Qanoon-e-Islam,"  by  Herklots,  London. 


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AMULETS,  CHAKMS  AND  KNOTS  205 

These  magic  squares  are  written  on  a  white  porcelain  plate, 
or  on  paper,  the  inscription  is  then  washed  off  with  water 
and  the  latter  drank;  or  they  are  worn  upon  the  person;  or 
they  are  burnt,  and  the  individual  is  smoked  with  their 
fumes ;  or  they  are  kept  suspended  in  the  air ;  or  having  been 
made  into  charms  by  being  enveloped  in  cotton,  they  are 
dipped  in  odoriferous  oils,  and  burnt  in  a  lamp ;  or  they  are 
engraved  on  rings  and  worn  on  the  fingers.  "  Some  persons 
write  the  taweez  or  ism  on  bhoojputur,  or  have  it  engraved 
on  a  thin  plate  of  silver,  gold,  etc.,  roll  it  up  or  fold  and 
form  it  into  a  taweez  or  puleeta,  cover  it  with  wax,  and  sew 
some  superior  kind  of  cloth  or  brocade  over  it ;  or  they  insert 
it  into  a  square  hollow  case  or  tube  of  gold  or  silver,  seal  it 
hermetically,  and  wear  it  suspended  to  the  neck,  or  tie  it  to 
their  upper  arms  or  loins,  or  stick  it  into  their  turbans  or 
tie  it  up  in  a  corner  of  their  handkerchiefs  and  carry  it  about 
their  persons.  People  very  generally  have  empty  taweezes 
made,  and  suspend  them  to  the  necks  of  their  children,  to- 
gether with  nadulec  13  in  the  center,  as  well  as  some  baghnuk 
(tiger's  nails)  set  in  silver,  etc.,  and  when  they  obtain  a 
taweez  from  any  renowned  mushaekh  or  mulla,  or  can  procure 
a  little  of  any  sacred  relic  offered  on  shrines,  such  as  flowers, 
sundul,  etc.,  they  put  these  into  them." 

It  is  by  such  magic  that  people  find  out  the  hour  and  day 
of  the  month  most  propitious  for  undertaking  a  journey,  for 
wearing  new  clothes,  for  trimming  the  beard,  etc.,  for  bath- 
ing, shaving,  etc.  The  character  of  these  superstitions  may 
be  judged  from  a  single  example  which  Herklots  gives : 

"  If  a  person  have  an  enemy  on  whom  he  has  not  the  power 
to  be  revenged,  though  he  is  constantly  distressed  and  har- 
assed by  him  the  following  is  what  people,  in  the  habit  of 
doing  these  things,  perform,  either  for  themselves  or  for  oth- 
ers, for  a  reward.     However,  it  is  not  every  one  that  succeeds 

13  J.  e.y  an  amulet  with  the  name  of  Alt. 


206     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

in  performing  these;  and  practitioners  only  undertake  them 
for  those  actually  in  need  of  relief ;  and  the  Almighty  again, 
on  His  part,  will  only  hear  the  supplications  of  those  who 
are  really  distressed.  He  is  to  read  the  tubut-maqooSj  or  the 
chayhul  qaf  morning  and  evening  daily,  for  twenty-one  days, 
at  each  period  forty-one  times.  Or,  with  some  earth  taken 
out  of  a  grave,  or  the  earth  of  the  Hindoo  musan,  he  is  to 
make  a  doll  about  a  span  long  more  or  less ;  and  repeating  the 
soora-e-ullum-turkyf  —  with  the  name  of  its  accompanying 
demon,  or  the  tubut  reversed,  or  the  chayhul  qaf  over  twenty- 
one  small  thin  wooden  pegs,  and  repeating  it  three  times  over 
each  peg,  he  is  to  strike  them  into  different  parts  of  the  body 
of  the  image ;  such  as  one  into  the  crown  of  the  head,  one  into 
the  forehead,  two  into  the  two  eyes,  two  into  the  two  upper 
arms;  two  into  the  two  arm-pits,  two  into  the  two  palms  of 
the  hands,  two  into  the  two  nipples,  two  into  the  two  sides  of 
the  body,  one  into  the  navel,  two  into  the  two  thighs,  two  into 
the  two  knees,  and  two  into  the  two  soles  of  the  feet.  The 
image  is  then  to  be  shrouded  in  the  manner  of  a  human 
corpse,  conveyed  to  the  cemetery,  and  buried  in  the  name  of 
the  enemy  who  (it  is  believed)  will  positively  die  after  it." 

In  all  these  charms  and  performances  we  can  see  animism 
and  Islam  strangely  mingled,  theism  and  paganism  side  by 
side.  The  prayer  is  made  to  the  Almighty,  the  chapters  read 
are  from  the  Koran  (i.  e.,  9th  Chapter  "  Tauba  "  is  to  be  read 
backwards  and  the  chapter  called  Qaf  is  to  be  read  40 
times),  but  the  whole  character  of  the  rite  is  pagan.  The 
spiritual  power  or  the  spirit  itself,  the  benefit  of  the  blessing 
is  directly  connected  with  the  charm.  We  may  again  use 
words  in  regard  to  Islam  that  Nassau  uses  regarding  the 
charms  of  the  pagans  in  West  Africa  (p.  76) : 

"  Over  the  wide  range  of  many  articles  used  in  which  to 
confine  spirits,  common  and  favorite  things,  are  the  skins  and 
especially  the  tails  of  bush-cats,  horns  of  antelopes,  nut-shells, 


AMULETS,  CHARMS  AND  KNOTS  207 

snail-shells,  bones  of  any  animal,  but  especially  human  bones ; 
and  among  the  bones  are  specially  regarded  portions  of  skulls 
of  human  beings  and  teeth  and  claws  of  leopards.  But,  lit- 
erally, anything  may  be  chosen, —  any  stick,  any  stone,  any 
rag  of  cloth.  Apparently,  there  being  no  limit  to  the  number 
of  spirits,  there  is  literally  no  limit  to  the  number  and  char- 
acter of  spirits,  there  is  literally  no  limit  to  the  number  and 
character  of  the  articles  in  which  they  may  be  localized." 

In  the  villages  of  the  Delta,  where  ninety-nine  per  cent 
of  the  people  are  Moslems,  and  in  the  back  streets  of  Cairo, 
the  intellectual  capital  of  Islam,  I  have  collected  amulets 
made  of  bone,  shell,  skin,  horns  of  animals,  teeth,  claws,  mud 
from  the  tombs,  etc.,  etc.  Islam  and  Animism  live,  in  very 
neighborly  fashion,  on  the  same  street  and  in  the  same  mind. 


CHAPTER  XI 

TREE,    STONE    AND    SERPENT    WORSHIP 

Primitive  worship  in  all  parts  of  the  world  is  connected 
with  sacred  trees  and  sacred  stones.  Paradise  had  its  tree 
of  knowledge  and  the  tree  of  life.  The  Patriarchs  pitched 
their  tents  under  special  groves  and  worshiped  Jehovah  with- 
out blame.  They  saw  God  in  nature,  yet  did  not  deify  na- 
ture and  were  charged  over  and  over  not  to  follow  the  abom- 
inations of  those  who  worshiped  under  every  grove.  The 
Ashera  or  sacred  poles  (trees)  were  connected  with  idolatrous 
and  orgiastic  worship  of  the  Baalim.  Egyptologists  speak 
of  Osiris  as  a  tree-god  with  tree-demons  and  on  Babylonian 
cylinders  we  find  pictures  of  sacred  trees.  A  lordly  oak  or 
elm  is  so  beautiful  that  our  poet,  Joyce  Kilmer,  who  gave  his 
life  in  France,  wrote : 

"I  think  that  I  shall  never  see 
A  poem  lovely  as  a  tree. 

A  trees  whose  hungry  mouth  is  prest 
Against  the  earth's  sweet  flowing  breast. 

A  tree  that  looks  at  God  all  day 

And  lifts  her  leafy  arms  to  pray.  .  .  . 

Poems  are  made  by  fools  like  me, 
But  only  God  can  make  a  tree." 

The  account  in  the  Book  of  Genesis  of  the  Tree  of  Life  to- 
gether with  that  of  the  trees  of  the  Biver  of  Life  in  the  book 
of  Bevelation  find  their  parody  in  what  Moslems  teach  con- 
cerning the  Lotus-tree  of  Paradise.     (See  Commentary  on 

208 


TREE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WORSHIP      209 

Surah  97.)  It  is  said  to  be  at  the  extremity  or  on  the  most 
elevated  spot,  in  Paradise,  and  is  believed  by  Moslems  to  have 
as  many  leaves  as  there  are  living  human  beings  in  the  world ; 
and  the  leaves  are  said  to  be  inscribed  with  the  names  of  all 
those  beings ;  each  leaf  bearing  the  name  of  one  person,  and 
that  of  his  father  and  mother.  This  tree,  Moslems  believe,  is 
shaken  on  the  Lailat  at  Qadr  (night  of  Destiny)  a  little  after 
sunset;  and  when  a  person  is  destined  to  die  in  the  ensuing 
year,  the  leaf  upon  which  his  name  is  written,  falls  off  on  this 
occasion;  if  he  is  to  die  very  soon  his  leaf  is  almost  wholly 
withered,  a  very  small  portion  only  remaining  green ;  if  he  is 
to  die  later  on  in  the  year,  a  larger  portion  remains  green; 
according  to  the  time  he  has  yet  to  live,  so  is  the  proportion 
of  the  part  of  the  leaf  yet  green.  This  therefore  is  a  very 
awful  night  to  the  serious  and  considerate  Moslems,  who,  ac- 
cordingly, observe  it  with  solemnity  and  earnest  prayer. 

A  whole  world  of  superstition  and  tradition  is  connected 
with  this  tree  of  Paradise  and  pictures  of  it  are  sold  as  amu- 
lets in  Cairo.  It  is  also  common  to  find  the  genealogy  of  the 
Prophet  Mohammed  traced  back  to  Adam  and  forward  to  the 
saints  of  Islam  depicted  as  a  sacred  tree.  I  have  seen  such 
pictures  hanging  for  good  luck  as  well  as  for  instruction  in 
mosques  at  Saigon,  Indo-China  and  in  Honan  and  Singapore. 
But  this  is  beside  our  subject. 

The  special  veneration  of  trees,  however,  exists  in  all  Mos- 
lem lands  and  has  the  closest  possible  resemblance  to  pagan 
tree-worship,  as  we  shall  see.  In  pagan  belief  because  of 
their  theory  of  universal  life  all  weird  or  abnormal  objects  are 
sacred  >and  have  special  soul-qualities.  Trees  of  unusual  size, 
rocks  of  peculiar  shape,  animals  with  strange  deformities, — 
all  such  things  are  sacrosanct.  A  Moslem  dares  not  injure 
them ;  to  do  so  would  bring  down  upon  himself  the  wrath  of 
unseen  powers. 

"  Of  course  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  Malay  peasant 


210     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

is  fully  aware  of  the  animistic  character  of  his  belief.  He 
acts  as  his  ancestors  acted  before  him ;  he  does  not  reason  why. 
He  is  satisfied  with  the  fact  that  a  tree  has  a  spirit  attached 
to  it;  he  does  not  stop  to  enquire  whether  that  spirit  is  the 
soul  of  the  tree  or  merely  a  ghost  that  has  taken  up  its  abode 
in  the  tree ;  all  he  is  certain  about  is  that  some  unseen  power 
is  connected  with  the  tree."  * 

In  West  Africa  tree- worship  is  common  among  the  pagans 
and  such  trees  are  famous  haunts  of  spirits.  Large,  promi- 
nent trees  are  inhabited  by  spirits.  "  Many  trees  in  the 
equatorial  West  Africa  forest  throw  out  from  their  trunks," 
says  Nassau,  "  at  from  ten  to  sixteen  feet  from  the  ground, 
solid  buttresses  continuous  with  the  body  of  the  tree  itself, 
only  a  few  inches  in  thickness,  but  in  width  at  the  base  of 
the  tree  from  four  to  six  feet.  These  buttresses  are  pro- 
jected toward  several  opposite  points  of  the  compass,  as  if 
to  resist  the  force  of  sudden  wind-storms.  They  are  a  no- 
ticeable forest  feature  and  are  commonly  seen  in  the  silk-cot- 
ton trees.  The  recesses  between  them  are  actually  used  as 
lairs  by  small  wild  animals.  They  are  supposedly  also  a 
favorite  home  of  the  spirits." 

In  Islam  the  same  beliefs  and  practices  exist  and  go  back 
to  Arabian  paganism  or  were  adopted  by  Moslems  in  their 
local  or  national  environment  and  Islamized.  The  subject 
was  treated  by  Goldziher  in  a  brief  paper  translated  for  the 
Moslem  World  (July,  1911,  p.  302).  Other  facts  have  since 
come  to  our  notice  and  all  travelers  in  the  Near  East  witness 
to  the  wide  prevalence  of  this  superstition.  Special  venera- 
tion to  holy  trees  is  offered  in  Syria,  Palestine,  and  all  North 
Africa.  The  Bedouins  inhabiting  the  tracts  of  land  tra- 
versed by  Doughty  look  upon  certain  trees  and  shrubs  as 
manhals,  or  abodes  of  angels  and  demons.  To  injure  such 
trees  or  shrubs,  to  lop  their  branches,  is  held  dangerous. 

i"  Malay  Beliefs,"  pp.  20-21. 


TREE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WORSHIP      211 

Misfortune  overtakes  him  who  has  the  foolhardiness  to  per- 
petrate such  an  outrage,  and  as  may  be  imagined,  the  Arabs 
have  many  delectable  stories  calculated  to  win  over  the  skep- 
tic. The  holy  tree  is  hung  with  a  variety  of  buntings  and  like 
ornaments.  The  diseased  and  maimed  of  the  desert  resort 
to  it,  offer  it  a  sheep  or  goat,  and  besprinkle  it  with  the  blood 
of  the  sacrificed  animal.  The  flesh  is  cooked  and  distributed 
among  the  friends  present,  a  portion  being  left  suspended 
from  a  branch  of  the  magic  tree;  and  the  patient  returns 
tranquil  in  the  faith  that  the  angel  will  appear  in  a  dream  and 
instruct  him  with  a  view  to  his  cure.  But  again  it  is  the 
patient  only  who  may  sleep  in  the  shades  of  the  sacred  tree ; 
to  a  healthy  man  the  attempt  would  involve  ruin.  Professor 
Sachu's  attention  was  arrested  in  the  rocky  land  Jabal-ul- 
Amiri,  southeast  of  Aleppo,  by  a  stunted  desiccated  thorny 
tree  of  a  man's  height  which  he  beheld  hung  on  all  sides  with 
variegated  rags.  "  Stones  were  heaped  around  its  stem,  and 
all  manner  of  stones,  large  and  small,  were  placed  in  the 
branches.  Such  a  tree,  called  zarur,  is  the  altar  of  the  desert. 
When  a  woman  yearns  for  a  child,  when  a  peasant  longs  for 
rain,  or  when  he  yearns  for  the  restoration  to  health  of  his 
horse  or  camel  he  takes  a  stone  and  deposits  it  at  the  foot  of 
the  zarur,  or  fixes  it  somewhere  between  its  two  branches." 
Again,  on  either  side  of  the  Jordan  religious  veneration  for 
sacred  trees  which  has  dominated  there  from  times  imme- 
morial and  which  evoked  stern  Biblical  enactments  has  still 
perpetuated  in  unaltered  shape.  "  In  no  country,"  says  the 
Eev.  Mr.  Mills,  "  have  men  greater  reverence  for  trees  than 
in  Palestine.  There  we  encounter  a  considerable  number  of 
holy  trees,  which  are  hung  with  pieces  of  cloth  and  garments 
of  pilgrims  who  have  journeyed  thither  to  do  homage  to  the 
trees.  We  notice  on  other  trees  rags  for  purposes  of  super- 
stitious enchantments.  Many  a  tree  is  the  resort  of  evil 
spirits,  but  what  is  more  weird,  a  place  abounding  in  tender 


212      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

oaks  is  usually  dedicated  to  a  species  of  beings  denominated 
'  Daughters  of  Jacob.'  "  Abbe  Barges  tells  of  a  lotus-tree 
in  the  garden  of  an  Arab  in  Jaffa  to  which  special  veneration 
was  offered.  From  the  branches  of  the  tree  depended  lamps 
and  strips  of  cloth  of  a  variety  of  colors.  The  proprietor, 
explaining  the  strange  worship,  said  that  the  seed  of  the 
tree  had  descended  from  heaven.  That  was  why  it  was  dedi- 
cated to  the  Prophet  who  visited  the  tree  from  time  to  time 
in  the  shades  of  the  night.  All  good  Mohammedans  show  the 
same  awe-struck  respect  for  a  holy  tree.  The  practice  is 
noticeable  in  other  countries  too,  where  popular  worship 
finds  expression  in  veneration  accorded  to  singular  represen- 
tatives of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  Schumacher  recording  his 
experiences  in  Jolan  describes  how  the  butmi  tree  is  some- 
times seen  standing  solitary  in  the  midst  of  a  field  shading 
the  final  resting-place  of  a  Moslem  saint.  It  receives  the  dis- 
tinctive appellation  of  "  f  akiri,"  the  indigent,  and  is  so  se- 
cured from  all  outside  interference,  being  allowed  unchecked 
to  attain  to  a  great  height.  No  Moslem  dare  break  a  single 
one  of  its  branches  or  even  remove  a  dry  twig,  for,  as  the 
legend  has  it,  no  man  can  ever  bend  its  bough  but  must  call 
down  upon  himself  the  justice  of  divine  vengeance. 

Goldziher  further  states :  "  We  may  glance  at  a  few  more 
of  the  diverse  aspects  which  the  cult  of  trees  assumes  in  Islam. 
Alongside  of  immutable  heathen  forms  we  come  upon  such 
as  have  been  subjected  to  the  moderating  influencing  of 
Mohammedanism.  An  umbrageous  tree  in  Wadi  ul-sirar,  not 
far  from  Mecca,  which  used  to  be  worshiped  in  pre-Islamic 
ages,  is  adored  as  the  one  under  which  seventy  prophets  had 
their  umbilical  cord  severed.  (Al-Muwatta  II,  p.  284 ;  Yakut 
III,  p.  75.).  The  Abbaside  Abd-ul-Samad-ibn-Ali,  Governor 
of  Mecca,  built  a  mosque  at  this  place.  A  sacred  tree  is 
either  associated  with  the  memory  of  Mohammed  or  its 
shadow  covers  'a  Wall's  tomb.     In  the  desert  the  holy  tree  is 


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TREE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WOKSHIP      213 

adored  in  all  its  pagan  aspects ;  in  the  city  the  veneration  is 
transferred  to  a  convenient  saint.  And  without  such  props 
the  heathen  cult  would  certainly  have  been  uprooted.  In  the 
mosque  of  Rabia  in  Kazwin  there  was  a  tree  regarded  sacred 
by  the  vulgar.  The  Caliph  ul-Mutawakkil  ordered  its  de- 
struction '  so  that  the  people  may  no  more  fall  into  tempta- 
tion.' (Beladhuri,  p.  322.)  It  is  imperative  among  aus- 
tere Mohammedan  environment  to  find  out  a  dead  pious  man 
upon  whom  to  transpose  the  homage  really  done  to  the  tree, 
and  when  no  tomb  is  forthcoming  nigh  at  hand,  the  tree  itself 
becomes  the  recipient  of  the  worship  in  the  shape  of  the  habi- 
tation of  a  Wali.  At  the  corner  of  a  street  in  Damascus  there 
is  an  olive-tree,  to  which  pilgrimages  are  made,  chiefly  by 
women,  among  whom  it  is  celebrated  as  the  Holy  Lady  Olive 
(Sitti  Zaytun).  A  dervish  collects  the  sacrificial  gifts  of  the 
pious  devotees  in  whose  behalf  he  offers  prayers.  The  olive 
was  considered  an  individual  with  a  personal  name.  Zeytun 
grew  into  Zaytun.  Morocco  actually  boasts  of  a  like  '  Notre 
Dame  d' Olive '  in  a  gigantic  tree  which  is  the  center  of 
crowded  pilgrimages.  A  masculine  counterpart  of  Lady 
Zaytun  we  meet  in  the  Sheikh  Abu  Zeytun  whose  mausoleum 
is  situated  in  Palestine.  By  an  analogous  process  the  Mo- 
hammedans have  personified  a  venerable  stone  column  into 
Sheikh-ul-Amud,  or  the  Reverend  Pillar.  Objects  previously 
looked  up  to  as  sacred  continue  to  be  so  in  Moslem  times, 
only  they  are  connected  with  some  pious  man  whose  existence 
the  worshipers  ever  are  at  a  loss  +o  establish."  So  far  the 
investigations  of  Professor  Goldziher.  In  Yemen  the  Mos- 
lems give  the  following  tradition  to  explain  how  the  custom 
arose.  I  have  not  been  able  to  trace  it  to  its  source.  They 
say  that  the  polytheists  of  the  Koreish  used  to  pay  high  honor 
to  sacred  trees  and  accept  good  and  ill  from  their  influences. 
They  used  to  drive  nails  into  the  trees  and  hang  bits  of  their 
clothing  upon  them,  but  when  Islam  came  this  practice  was 


214     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

forbidden  to  the  extent  that  one  day  when  Omar-ibn-el-Kha- 
tab  saw  certain  people  going  to  a  particular  tree  mentioned 
in  the  Koran  where  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Prophet  was 
taken  by  the  Companions,  he  greatly  feared  that  the  people 
would  go  back  to  idolatry  and  sent  some  one  to  cut  down  the 
tree  and  it  was  cut  down.  This  clearly  shows  that  whatever 
tree-worship  persists  in  Arabia  it  is  due  to  pre-Islamic  prac- 
tice and  is  admittedly  contrary  to  their  own  conception  of  the 
demands  of  pure  theism.  Yet  in  spite  of  this  tradition  and 
the  loud  assertion  in  the  mosque  that  Allah  is  God  alone  and 
that  all  polytheism  is  of  the  devil,  we  find  tree-worship  almost 
universal.  Sacred  trees  are  very  common  in  Morocco. 
About  twenty  miles  distant  from  Mogador  there  is  a  large 
argan  tree.  Large  numbers  of  Moors  visit  the  spot  every 
year.  They  hang  upon  it  bits  of  rag,  broken  pottery  or  nails, 
believing  that  any  of  these  things  have  power  to  unloose  the 
hidden  virtue  which  lies  concealed  within  and  which  flowing 
to  the  donor  will  make  this  way  prosperous  until  next  visit. 
While  hanging  these  things  upon  the  tree  they  give  utterance 
to  desires  which  fill  the  heart.  Moslems  in  India  respect  a 
tree  called  Brimje  which  does  not  bear  fruit  and  the  leaves 
of  which  are  like  those  of  a  poplar  tree  but  a  little  darker. 
This  tree  is  often  planted  on  their  tombs  and  in  mosques ;  the 
pilgrims  then  tie  up  a  strip  of  cloth  on  the  branches  of  the  tree 
vowing  to  untie  it  on  the  fulfillment  of  some  desire  when  they 
offer  a  sacrifice. 

In  Algeria  trees  become  holy  and  are  worshiped  because 
some  saint  has  sat  under  them  or  dreamed  about  them,  etc. 
They  partake  of  the  holiness  of  the  saint  and  of  the  special 
virtues  belonging  to  him,  such  as  healing  children's  illnesses, 
child-bearing,  etc.  Strips  of  material  are  hung  on  them 
as  offerings  to  the  saint.  These  rags  then  become  blessed  and 
are  frequently  stolen  and  torn  by  other  worshipers  who  place 


TKEE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WOKSHIP      215 

the  piece  in  their  waist  belts  or  in  the  folds  of  their  head-- 
dress. 

"  Anatolia/'  writes  Dr.  George  E.  White,  "  is  emphatically 
full  of  sacred  trees  and  groves,  each  of  which  usually  owes 
its  sanctity  to  a  holy  grave,  and  often  is  in  close  proximity  to 
a  sacred  spring  and  a  sacred  stone.  Riding  through  the  coun- 
try one  often  spies  a  clump  of  trees,  larger  or  smaller,  on  a 
hill  top,  or  in  some  valley  nook,  of  which  even  before  inquir- 
ing he  may  be  quite  sure  that  they  are  regarded  as  sacred. 
Men  fear  to  cut  the  wood  except  for  a  mosque  or  a  coffin. 
They  believe  that  if  one  were  to  fell  a  tree  or  lop  off  a  bough, 
he  would  anger  the  spirit  of  the  place  and  some  i  stroke '  would 
overtake  him  in  consequence.  They  often  say  that  if  one  cut 
the  wood  it  would  fly  back  to  the  forest  before  morning. 
More  firmly  do  they  believe  that  the  woodman's  house  would 
burn,  or  some  accident  befall  one  or  more  of  the  inmates.  At 
Ipejik  a  visitor  told  the  people  that  devils  would  not  get  them 
if  they  cut  down  the  trees.  Near  Arabkir  is  a  cave  beside  a 
holy  tree,  where  cocks  are  shut  up  as  votive  offerings  to  starve 
and  so  propitiate  the  spirit  of  the  place;  the  willows  are  ac- 
counted sacred  and  can  heal  on  Palm  Sunday.  Near  Van  the 
Seer  rock  and  tree  cure  fever  in  exchange  for  the  tying  of 
a  rag;  near  Harpout  is  a  thorn-bush  nearly  buried  in  stones 
which  cures  fever;  again  a  forty  branched  tree  at  Goganz 
rests  on  a  hill  top,  and  is  visited  by  Armenians  who  have  a 
spring  festival  there.  The  Striker  tree  is  feared  by  both 
Turks  and  Armenians,  who  pray  as  they  pass  it,  lest  some  ill- 
luck  overtake  them  in  its  vicinity.  At  St.  Sapanz  is  a  tree 
which  no  one  dares  climb;  Kurds  and  Armenians  worship 
there  every  Sunday.  It  is  remarkable  that  Kurds  should  ob- 
serve the  Christian  Sabbath  in  this  way,  and  suggests  that 
they  may  sometimes  have  changed  their  connection  from  nom- 
inal Christianity  to  nominal  Mohammedanism,  while  remain- 


216     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ing  really  Pagan  for  the  most  part  all  the  time.  At  Agunjik 
a  Kurd  shot  at  a  bird  on  a  holy  tree,  and  died  eight  days  (that 
is  a  week)  afterward.  Rushdonienz  has  a  famous  walnut 
tree  to  which  the  sick  resort,  and  where  they  remain  in  all 
sorts  of  weather  to  offer  sacrifices,  for  at  certain  times  or  in 
certain  stages  of  the  weather  a  peculiar  halo  surrounds  the 
tree  and  the  sick  are  then  miraculously  healed.  At  Morenik 
a  Sun  Pole  was  burned  in  1907  and  thousands  of  nails  were 
found  in  the  ashes,  the  remains  of  years  of  worshipers.  This 
tree  was  called  the  Censor,  and  cured  all  diseases  for  Turks 
or  Armenians  impartially.  They  would  beat  the  roots  with 
stones,  burn  candles  before  it,  cast  eggs  into  the  pool  hard  by, 
or  drive  nails  into  the  pole,  crying  *  from  me  to  you,  from  you 
to  another  ?  in  the  hope  of  thus  expelling  the  disease." 

In  Kerbela  there  are  trees  supposed  to  belong  to  'Ali  and 
other  Shiah  saints.  There  are  two  palm  trees  near  Kerbela 
under  which  Mary  is  believed  to  have  sat  when  Jesus  was 
born.  Women  visit  these  trees,  eat  the  fruit  and  drink  a 
mixture  of  the  earth  and  water.  Pilgrims  carry  a  collection 
of  hair  and  tie  it  on  the  trees  in  Kerbela,  believing  that  on 
the  day  of  resurrection  they  will  have  hair  the  length  of  the 
trees.  Finger-nails  are  also  tied  in  a  bit  of  rag  to  the  trees ; 
teeth  are  washed,  wrapped  in  white  cloth  and  hung  on  the 
trees  with  a  little  salt,  believing  that  this  will  keep  them  pure 
and  whole  until  they  come  to  claim  them  on  the  day  of  resur- 
rection. 

"  In  Persia,"  writes  Miss  Holliday,  "  I  had  a  cook  who 
found  near  a  village  two  fine  saplings  growing  from  the  root 
of  an  old  tree ;  as  they  would  be  fine  for  walking  sticks  he  cut 
them,  but  was  reproved  by  his  host  for  the  night.  '  If  the 
village  knew  they  would  be  very  angry.  Don't  you  know 
these  are  persons  ? '  "  Another  incident  is  given  of  a  tree 
that  had  fallen  down  in  a  cemetery  to  which  rags  were  tied, 
for  communion  with  the  spirit  of  the  tree,  lights  were  burnt 


TEEE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WOKSHIP      217 

and  offerings  made  and  which  had  even  been  walled  off  as  a 
protection. 

The  method  of  communion,  the  awe  of  dread  consequences 
to  those  who  injure  the  tree,  and  the  details  of  worship  are 
practically  the  same  everywhere. 

How  trees  are  regarded  and  worshiped  to-day  in  Arabia  is 
related  by  Doughty  (Vol.  I,  p.  365).  "Returning  one  of 
those  days  I  went  out  to  cut  tent-pegs  at  the  great  solitary 
acacia  tree  which  stands  nigh  the  kella;  here  the  goats  and 
sheep  of  the  garrison  lie  down  at  noon  after  the  watering. 
Clear  gum-arabic  drops  are  distilled  upon  the  small  boughs; 
that  which  oozes  from  the  old  stock  is  pitchy  black,  bitter  to 
the  taste,  and  they  say  medicinal :  with  this  are  caulked  the 
Arab  coasting  boats  which  are  built  at  Wejh.  Hither  I  saw 
Doolan  leading  his  flock,  and  waited  to  ask  him  for  his  bill, 
or  else  that  he  would  cut  down  the  sticks  for  me.  He  an- 
swered :  '  Wellah,  O  son  of  mine  uncle,  ask  me  anything 
else,  but  in  this  were  mischief  for  us  both.  No !  I  pray  thee, 
break  not,  Khalil,  nor  cut  so  much  as  a  twig  of  all  these 
branches,  thou  art  not  of  this  country,  thou  art  not  aware: 
Look  up !  seest  thou  the  cotton  shreds  and  the  horns  of  goats 
which  hang  in  these  boughs,  they  are  of  the  Beduw,  but 
many  fell  in  the  late  winds.  And  seest  thou  these  nails  !  cer- 
tain of  the  Haj  knock  them  into  the  stem  whilst  they  pray ! ' 
As  I  laid  hand  anew  on  a  good  bough  and  took  my  knife, 
Doolan  embraced  me.  i  No,  Khalil,  the  man  who  cuts  this 
tree/  he  sgfid,  '  must  die.'  '  What  is  this  folly !  are  you 
afraid  of  trees?'  i  Ah  me!  she  is  possessed  by  a  jinn;  be 
not  so  foolhardy.  Wellah,  I  tell  thee  truth,  a  Beduwy  broke 
but  a  bough  and  (he  died  within  a  while  and  all  his  cattle 
perished.  Khalil,  the  last  evening  a  little  girl  of  the  booth 
that  is  newly  pitched  here  gathered  some  of  these  fallen  sticks, 
for  her  mother's  fire,  and  as  they  kindled,  by-thy-life !  the 
child's  arm  stiffened;  they  carried  her  immediately  into  the 


218     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 


kella,  where  Haj  Nejm  hanged  some  charms  about  her,  and 
by  the  mercy  of  God  the  child  recovered.'  " 

And  here  is  a  pen-portrait  equally  pathetic  of  how  a  mother 
with  her  babe  in  Turkey  seeks  help  at  a  holy-tree.  The 
writer,  Victoria  de  Bunsen,  has  gazed  deeply  into  the  soul 
of  a  Turk :  "  As  my  eyes  wandered  over  the  green  branches, 
I  saw  that  low  down  they  were  ragged  and  bare,  and  all 
stripped  of  their  leaves.  Instead  the  dry  twigs  were  hung 
with  objects  which  by  much  travel  had  grown  familiar  to  me, 
the  objects  one  learns  to  associate  with  all  sacred  mysterious 
places  in  the  East.  There  were  the  dirty  rags,  the  wisps  of 
twisted  hair,  the  little  strings  of  beads  or  common  charms  — 
all  the  worthless  cast-off  things  which  mean  so  much  to  those 
who  cast  them  off  for  such  a  purpose,  and  are  mere  rubbish 
to  everybody  else.  ...  I  saw  a  woman  stoop  to  pass  beneath 
them,  and  she  came  into  the  shade.  She  did  not  see  me,  and 
she  need  not,  for  I  was  close  to  the  tomb,  and  evidently  that 
was  not  the  object  of  the  visit.  Some  tall  rank  weeds  and 
grass  trees  hid  me  from  her  sight,  though  I  could  still  watch 
her.  The  woman  I  watched  was  tall  and  young.  She  wore 
the  blue  loose  dress  of  the  Lebanon  women  and  the  long  coarse 
white  veil.  In  her  arms  she  carried  a  baby.  She  came 
swiftly  and  with  decision  in  her  movements.  There  was 
trouble  in  her  face  and  great  perplexity,  but  there  was  no 
doubt  of  the  reason  she  had  come  to  the  tree.  Kneeling  down 
on  the  ground  she  unwinds  the  baby  from  its  long  thick  wrap- 
pings and  lays  it  on  the  ground  beside  her.  I  cannot  see  its 
face  but  it  must  be  very  little  and  weak,  for  I  can  hear  its 
wailing  cry,  and  it  is  feeble  and  struggling.  When  the  swad- 
dling clothes  are  loosened,  the  wailing  ceases  for  a  minute  and 
I  see  one  tiny  toe  kick  weakly  in  the  air.  .  .  .  While  the 
baby  lies  there  on  the  ground  and  feebly  stretches  its  wasted 
limbs  I  watch  with  anxious  sympathy,  this  last  attempt  to 
save  the  life  that  means  so  much.     The  baby  still  wears  a 


TKEE,  ST01STE  AND  SEKPENT  WOKSHIP      219 

ragged  little  cotton  shirt  under  the  swaddling  bands,  and 
from  this  the  mother  carefully  tears  a  rag.  Then,  rising, 
she  scans  anxiously  the  dry,  leaf-stripped  branches  around 
her.  She  holds  the  polluted  discolored  thing  —  the  holy 
thing  —  the  little  rag  in  her  hand.  All  the  fever  and  the 
pain  and  the  weakness  of  her  child  is  concentrated  and 
bound  up  in  that  rag.  For  her  was  the  duty  of  bringing  that 
concentrated  evil  —  that  heavy-laden  rag  —  into  contact  with 
the  holy,  life-giving  tree.  The  rag  must  be  bound  to  it,  cast 
off  upon  its  branches.  Choosing  the  place  the  woman  fastens 
the  rag  to  a  branch  with  steady  deliberate  fingers,  and  then 
sits  down  again  by  her  baby  and  contemplates  it  dangling 
from  a  twig.  Who  shall  say  what  hope,  what  agony  of  sus- 
pense, fills  her  troubled  mind  %  "  2 

Stone-  as  well  as  tree-worship  persists  in  Islam  and  Mo- 
hammed himself  sanctioned  it  when  in  destroying  all  the  idols 
of  the  Ka'aba  he  spared  the  Black-stone  and  left  it  in  its  place 
of  honor,  an  object  of  adoration.  The  Meccans  before  Islam 
used  to  carry  with  them  on  their  journeys  pieces  of  stone  from 
the  Ka'aba,  and  paid  reverence  to  them  because  they  came 
from  the  Haram  or  Holy  Temple.  Herodotus  mentions  the 
use  of  seven  stones  by  the  Arabs  when  taking  solemn  oaths. 
The  honor,  almost  amounting  to  worship,  paid  the  meteoric 
Hajurul  Aswad  or  Black  Stone,  is  one  of  the  many  Islamic 
customs  which  have  been  derived  from  those  of  the  Arabs 
who  lived  long  before  Mohammed's  time.  The  kiss  which 
the  pious  Mohammedan  pilgrim  bestows  on  it  is  a  survival 
of  the  old  practice,  and  was  a  form  of  worship  in  Arabia  as 
in  many  other  lands.  The  various  gods  of  the  ancient  Arabs 
were  represented  by  images  or  stones.  It  is  interesting  to 
know  that  some  of  these  are  still  preserved  as  witness  to  Mo- 
hammed's triumph  over  idolatry.  Doughty  says :  "  On  the 
morrow  I  went  to  visit  the  three  idol-stones  that  are  shown 

2  "  The  Soul  of  a  Turk/'  Victoria  de  Bunsen,  p.  242. 


220      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

at  Tayif-El-'Uzza,  which  I  had  seen  in  the  small  ( butchers') 
market  place.  It  is  some  twenty  feet  long;  near  the  end 
upon  the  upper  side  is  a  hollowness  which  they  call  makam 
er-ras,  the  head  place;  and  this,  say  they,  was  the  mouth  of 
the  oracle.  Another  and  smaller  stone,  which  lay  upon  a 
rising-ground,  before  the  door  of  the  chief  gunner,  they  call 
el-Hubbal:  this  also  is  a  wild  granite  block,  five  or  six  feet 
long  and  cleft  in  the  midst  i  by  a  sword-stroke  of  our  lord 
Aly.'  n  ..."  A  little  without  the  gate  we  came  to  the  third 
reputed  bethel-stone.  This  they  name  el-Lata  (which  is 
Venus  of  the  Arabs,  says  Herodotus)  :  it  is  an  unshapely 
crag;  in  length  nearly  as  the  'Uzza,  but  less  in  height,  and 
of  the  same  gray  granite."  (Vol.  II:  515). 3  Even  to-day 
among  the  Shiahs  in  Bahrein,  Arabia,  there  are  ancient  stones 
which  are  objects  of  worship  because  they  are  supposed  to 
have  jinn  in  them  that  have  the  power  to  come  to  life.  Of- 
ferings of  food  are  made  to  them  on  Tuesday  night  and  some- 
times on  Thursdays.  The  person  making  the  offering  al- 
ways salaams  the  jinn  and  after  hoping  that  he  may  "  eat  in 
health  "  the  food  is  placed  on  the  stone.  In  the  morning  the 
dish  is  found  empty.  Women  often  take  a  piece  of  silk  for 
a  garment  in  payment  of  a  vow  and  leave  it  on  the  stone. 
Each  stone  seems  to  have  its  "  seyyida  "  who  is  responsible 
for  the  removal  of  the  silk,  as  the  women  say. 

In  Tabriz,  Persia,  there  is  a  large  marble  tomb-stone  before 
which  candles  are  burnt.  When  children  have  whooping 
cough  both  Moslem  and  Christian  mothers  scrape  off  some  of 
the  marble  dust  and  give  it  to  the  children  as  a  cure. 

Another  form  of  stone-worship  very  common  throughout 

3  Our  chief  authority  for  the  ancient  Arabian  idolatry  is  the  cele- 
brated Kitdb  al-Asnam  by  Ibn  al  Kalbi.  The  book  itself  is  lost,  but  is 
widely  quoted  by  Jaqut.  The  best  summary  on  the  subject  is  found  in 
Wellhausen's  "  Reste  Arabischen  Heidentums,"  and  it  is  fully  treated  in 
W.  Robertson  Smith's  "The  Religion  of  the  Semites,"  New  York,  1889. 


TREE,  STOKE  AND  SERPENT  WORSHIP      221 

the  Moslem  world  is  that  of  raising  up  stone  heaps  on  sacred 
places :  "  In  Syria  it  is  a  common  practice  with  pious  Mos- 
lems when  they  first  come  in  sight  of  a  very  sacred  place,  such 
as  Hebron  or  the  tomb  of  Moses,  to  make  a  little  heap  of 
stones  or  to  add  a  stone  to  a  heap  which  has  been  already 
made.  Hence  every  here  and  there  the  traveler  passes  a 
whole  series  of  such  heaps  by  the  side  of  the  track.  In  North- 
ern Africa  the  usage  is  similar.  Cairns  are  commonly 
erected  on  spots  from  which  the  devout  pilgrim  first  discerns 
the  shrine  of  a  saint  afar  off;  hence  they  are  generally  to  be 
seen  on  the  top  of  passes.  Eor  example,  in  Morocco,  at  the 
point  of  the  road  from  Casablanca  to  Azemmour,  where  you 
first  come  in  sight  of  the  white  city  of  the  saint  gleaming  in 
the  distance,  there  rises  an  enormous  cairn  of  stones  shaped 
like  a  pyramid  several  hundreds  of  feet  high,  and  beyond  it 
on  both  sides  of  the  road  there  is  a  sort  of  avalanche  of  stones, 
either  standing  singly  or  arranged  in  little  pyramids.  Every 
pious  Mohammedan  whose  eyes  are  gladdened  by  the  blessed 
sight  of  the  sacred  towns  adds  his  stone  to  one  of  the  piles  or 
builds  a  little  pile  for  himself."  4  The  custom  of  passers-by 
putting  stone  on  a  heap  is  a  form  of  fetish  worship.  This 
is  clear  from  what  we  read  concerning  the  practice  in  West 
Africa. 

"  All  day  we  kept  passing  trees  or  rocks,"  writes  Nassau, 
"  on  which  were  placed  little  heaps  of  stones  or  bits  of  wood ; 
in  passing  these,  each  of  my  men  added  a  new  stone  or  bit 
of  wood,  or  even  a  tuft  of  grass.  This  is  a  tribute  to  the 
spirits,  the  general  precaution  to  insure  a  safe  return.  These 
people  have  a  vague  sort  of  Supreme  Being  called  Lesa  who 
has  good  and  evil  passions ;  but  here  (Plateau  of  Lake  Tan- 
ganyika), as  everywhere  else,  the  Musimo,  or  spirits  of  the 
ancestors,  are  a  leading  feature  in  the  beliefs.     They  are  pro- 

*  Frazer's  "  The  Scapegoat,"  pp.  21,  22. 


222     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

pitiated,  as  elsewhere,  by  placing  little  heaps  of  stones  about 
their  favorite  haunts."  5  The  stoning  of  "  The  Three  Dev- 
ils "  at  Mecca  may  be  some  form  of  ancestor  worship  if  it  is 
not  in  memory  of  the  old  idols. 

We  turn  finally  to  Serpent-worship  in  Islam.  Here  also 
we  are  surprised  to  find  how  much  animism  remains  in  Mos- 
lem lands  and  lives  and  literature ;  all  covered  of  course  with 
the  charitable  mantle  of  their  creed.  The  Arabic  dictionary 
gives  two  hundred  names  for  snakes.  As-Suhaili  says  that 
when  God  caused  the  serpent  to  come  down  to  the  earth,  He 
caused  it  to  alight  in  Sijistan  which  is  the  part  of  God's  earth 
abounding  most  in  serpents,  and  that  if  it  were  not  for  the 
'Irbadd —  (the  male  viper)  eating  and  destroying  many  of 
them,  Sijistan  would  (now)  have  been  empty  of  its  people 
owing  to  the  large  number  of  them  (in  it). 

Ka'b-al-Ahber  states  that  "  God  caused  the  serpent  to  alight 
in  Ispahan,  Iblis  in  Jeddah,  Eve  on  Mount  'Arafah,  and 
Adam  on  the  mountain  Sarandib  (Ceylon)  which  is  the  land 
of  China  in  the  Indian  Ocean."  The  curious  may  find  much 
on  serpent  lore  in  Damiri  (Vol.  I,  p.  631).  The  most  com- 
mon belief  is  that  serpents  are  often  human  beings  in  the 
form  of  snakes.  The  serpent  has  a  place  also  in  the  story 
of  Creation  which  is  given  as  follows :  "  Al-Kurtubi  relates 
in  the  commentary  on  the  XL  chapter  of  the  Kuran  on  the 
authority  of  Thawr  b.  Yazid,  who  had  it  from  Khalid  b. 
Ma'dan  regarding  Ka'b  al-Ahbar  as  having  said,  '  When  God 
created  the  Throne,  it  said,  '  God  has  not  created  anything 
greater  than  myself/  and  exulted  with  joy  out  of  pride.  God 
therefore  caused  it  to  be  surrounded  by  a  serpent  having 
70,000  wings;  each  wing  having  70,000  feathers  in  it,  each 
feather  having  in  it  70,000  faces,  each  face  having  in  it 
70,000  mouths,  and  each  mouth  having  in  it  70,000  tongues, 
with  its  mouths  ejaculating  every  day  praises  of  God,  the 

5  Nassau's  "African  Fetichism,"  p.  91. 


TREE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WORSHIP      223 

number  of  drops  of  rain,  the  number  of  the  leaves  of  trees, 
the  number  of  stones  and  earth,  the  number  of  days  of  this 
world,  and  the  number  of  angels, —  all  these  numbers  of 
times.  The  serpent  then  twisted  itself  round  the  Throne 
which  was  taken  up  by  only  half  the  serpent  while  it  re- 
mained twisted  round  it.  The  Throne  thereupon  became 
humble."  6 

The  following  story  is  told  on  the  authority  of  one  of  the 
Companions  of  Mohammed:  "  We  went  out  on  the  pilgrim- 
age, and  when  we  reached  al-'Ari,  we  saw  a  snake  quivering, 
which  not  long  afterwards  died.  One  of  the  men  out  of  us 
took  out  for  it  a  piece  of  cloth  in  which  he  wrapped  it  up, 
and  then  digging  a  hole  buried  it  in  the  ground.  We  then 
proceeded  to  Makkah  and  went  to  the  sacred  mosque,  where  a 
man  came  to  us  and  said,  i  Which  of  you  is  the  person  that 
was  kind  to  'Amer  b.  Jabir  ? '  Upon  which  we  replied,  '  We 
do  not  know  him.'  He  then  asked,  '  Which  of  you  is  the  per- 
son that  was  kind  to  the  Jann? '  and  they  replied,  (  This  one 
here,'  upon  which  he  said  (to  him),  'May  God  repay  you 
good  on  our  account !  As  to  him  (the  serpent  that  was  bur- 
ied) he  was  the  last  of  the  nine  genii  who  had  heard  the 
Koran  from  the  lips  of  the  Prophet  ? '  " 

In  Java  the  Moslems  speak  of  the  holy  serpent  found  in 
the  rice  fields  which  must  not  be  killed.  They  relate  legends 
in  this  respect  that  are  undoubtedly  of  pre-Moslem  origin. 
When  the  peasant  finds  such  a  sacred  snake  in  his  fields  he 
takes  it  home  and  cares  for  it  in  order  that  the  rice  fields  may 
have  the  blessing. 

The  Shiahs  in  Bahrein  believe  serpents  are  jinn  in  human 
forms  and  they  should  not  be  killed.  Small  ones,  however, 
are  killed,  placed  in  the  sun  with  a  little  salt,  and  when  the 
flesh  is  thoroughly  dry  it  is  cut  up,  put  in  bags  and  worn  as 
an  amulet  against  the  evil  eye.     Rich  people  have  their  am- 

•P.  638,  Damiri  (English  translation  by  Jayakar). 


224     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

ulets  placed  in  gold  cases  while  poor  people  content  them- 
selves with  leather  bags. 

Serpents,  lizards  and  frogs  that  frequent  the  marabout 
buildings  in  Algeria  are  supposed  to  be  inhabited  by  demons 
subdued  by  the  dead  marabout  (a  holy  person)  and  it  is  for- 
bidden to  kill  them  on  pain  of  death  or  subsequent  ill  luck. 
The  snakes  are  drawn  out  of  their  lairs  by  the  beating  of 
tom-toms  while  certain  Morocco  sorcerers  are  supposed  to 
have  the  power  to  bring  them  out  by  a  few  spoken  words. 
On  the  occasion  of  an  epidemic  among  the  sheep  near  Reli- 
yane  the  shepherds  threw  their  sticks  under  a  certain  mar- 
about tree  and  left  them  there  for  two  or  three  days,  then 
they  made  their  flocks  to  pass  by  that  tree,  after  repeating 
which  two  or  three  times  they  were  healed. 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  Egypt  is  the  intellectual  center 
of  Islam  many  forms  of  the  serpent  worship  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians  are  still  widely  found,  and  in  one  case  it  is  prac- 
ticed with  the  sanction  of  the  Moslem  faith. 

The  superstitious  idea  that  every  house  has  a  serpent 
guardian  is  pretty  general  throughout  the  country,  and  many 
families  still  provide  a  bowl  of  milk  for  their  serpent  pro- 
tector, believing  that  calamity  would  come  upon  them  if  the 
serpent  were  neglected.  This  is  undoubtedly  a  survival  of 
the  ancient  belief  that  the  serpent  was  the  child  of  the  earth 
—  the  oldest  inhabitant  of  the  land,  and  guardian  of  the 
ground. 

The  serpent  is  used  very  frequently  by  sorcerers  in  their 
incantations,  and  also  in  the  preparation  of  medicines  and 
philtres  which  are  used  for  the  cure  of  physical  and  emotional 
disturbances  suffered  by  their  clients. 

The  religious  sanction  given  to  serpent  worship  occurs  in 
the  case  of  Sheikh  Heridi  whose  tomb  or  shrine,  with  that 
of  his  "  wife,"  is  to  be  seen  in  the  sand-hills  of  Upper  Egypt 
some  distance  from  the  town  of  Akhmim.     Sheikh  Heridi  is 


TREE,  STONE  AND  SERPENT  WORSHIP      225 

really  a  serpent  supposed  to  occupy  one  of  the  tombs.  The 
birthday  festival  of  this  serpent  saint  takes  place  during  the 
month  following  Ramadhan,  and  lasts  about  eight  days. 
This  festival  is  attended  by  crowds  of  devotees,  including 
large  numbers  of  sailors  who  encamp  about  the  shrine  during 
the  festivities. 

At  other  times  pilgrimages  on  behalf  of  those  suffering 
from  certain  ailments  are  made  to  come  to  the  tomb.  Pro- 
fessor Sayce  in  an  article  on  the  subject  published  in  the 
Contemporary  Review  for  October,  1893,  quotes  at  length 
from  various  travelers  who  have  mentioned  this  serpent-saint 
of  Islam  in  their  writings. 

Professor  Sayce  then  describes  in  detail  the  immediate 
surroundings  of  the  two  domed  shrines,  one  of  which  belongs 
to  the  "  wife  "  of  the  serpent.  Near  the  shrines  is  a  cleft 
of  the  rock  which  was  probably  the  "  grotto  "  inhabited  by  the 
"  saint  "  before  the  shrine  was  erected. 

Sheikh  Heridi  occupies  as  high  a  place  in  the  esteem  of 
the  native  to-day  as  he  did  in  the  days  of  Paul  Lucas  and 
Norden.  His  birthday  festival  is  attended  by  crowds  of 
devout  believers.  Many  stories  are  still  told  of  the  miracu- 
lous powers  of  the  Saint,  who  is  declared  to  be  a  serpent  as 
"  thick  as  a  man's  thigh."  If  treated  with  irreverence  or 
disrespect,  it  breathes  fire  into  the  face  of  the  offender,  who 
forthwith  dies.  It  is  very  jealous  of  its  wife's  good  name; 
those  who  show  her  disrespect  are  also  put  to  death  by  the 
saint.  The  belief  that  if  the  serpent  is  hacked  to  pieces  each 
piece  will  rejoin,  still  survives,  and  it  is  held  that  any  one 
clever  enough  to  note  the  place  where  the  blood  flowed,  would 
become  wealthy,  because  there  he  would  find  gold. 

The  professor  points  out  that  Sheikh  Heridi  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  successor  of  Agathodaemon  —  the  ancient 
serpent-god  of  healing.  Belief  in  his  miraculous  powers  is  as 
strong  to-day  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  Rameses  or 
Ptolemies. 


226     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

At  the  entrance  to  the  quarry  through  which  pilgrims  have 
to  pass  on  their  way  to  the  shrine,  Professor  Sayce  discovered 
engraved  in  large  Greek  letters  in  the  stone  the  words 
enayaOa)  which,  he  says,  indicate  that  during  the  Greek  pe- 
riod, the  place  was  sacred,  and  that  a  divinity  must  have 
been  worshiped  here.  It  may  be  safely  assumed  that  that 
divinity  was  none  other  than  the  sacred  serpent  now  Sheikh 
Heridi  under  another  name. 


CHAPTEE  XII 

the  zar:  exorcism  of  demons 

"  Within  only  a  comparatively  short  period  of  years," 
says  Professor  Macdonald,  "  quite  easily  within  thirty  years, 
I  should  say  —  we  have  come  to  know  that  practically  all 
through  the  Moslem  world  there  is  spread  an  observance  ex- 
actly like  the  Black  Mass  in  Christendom.  That  is  to  say, 
it  is  a  profane  parody  of  a  sacred  service.  Among  the  older 
travelers  you  will  find  no  reference  to  this.  Lane  apparently 
knew  nothing  of  it,  nor  did  even  Burton,  in  spite  of  his  curi- 
ous knowledge  of  the  most  out-of-the-way  and  disrespectable 
sides  of  Islam.  What  it  travesties  is  the  Darwish  zxkr.  .  .  . 
Now,  practically  throughout  all  Islam  there  is  a  kind  of  a 
parody  of  this,  in  which  the  beings  whose  intervention  is 
sought  are  what  we  would  broadly  call  devils.  Yet  when 
we  speak  of  Moslem  devils,  we  must  always  remember  their 
nondescript  character  and  that  they  are  continually  confused 
with  the  jinn,  and  so  come  to  be  on  a  dividing  line  between 
fairies,  brownies,  kobolds,  and  true  theological  devils. 
Devil-worship,  then,  in  Islam  and  in  Christendom  are  two 
quite  different  things.  In  Islam  there  is  no  precise  feeling 
of  rejection  of  Allah  and  of  blasphemy  against  his  name. 
It  is,  rather,  akin  to  the  old  Arab  '  taking  refuge  with  the 
jinn'  (Qur.  lxxii,  6),  denounced,  it  is  true,  by  Mohammed 
as  a  minor  polytheism,  but  compatible  with  acceptance  and 
worship  of  Allah.  Perhaps  it  might  be  described  most  ex- 
actly as  a  kind  of  perverted  saint-worship.     But  its  form 

is  certainly  a  parody  of  the  zxkr,  though  with  curious  addi- 

227 


228     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

tions  of  bloody  sacrifice,  due  to  its  African  Voodo  origin."  * 
The  exorcism  of  demons  is  a  universal  desire  where  the  be- 
lief in  their  power  and  malignity  is  so  strong  as  we  have 
seen  it  to  be  in  Moslem  lands,  but  the  particular  form  of  this 
belief,  called  the  Zar,  is  unique  in  other  ways  than  those 
pointed  out  by  Dr.  Macdonald.  Evidence  continues  to  accu- 
mulate that  we  deal  here  with  a  form  of  Animistic  worship 
which  although  so  long  and  so  often  concealed  from  western, 
i.e.,  infidel  observation,  is  found  in  Morocco,  Algeria,  Tu- 
nisia, Tripoli,  Egypt,  the  Soudan,  East  and  "West  Arabia, 
Persia,  Malaysia,  and  India.  No  direct  witness  to  the  exist- 
ence of  this  superstition  among  Chinese  Moslems  has  come 
from  travelers  or  missionaries,  but  it  would  not  surprise  me 
to  find  it  also  in  Yunan  and  in  Kansu  provinces. 

"  Three  things  good  luck  from  the  threshold  bar  — 
A  wedding,  a  funeral,  and  the  Zar" — 

So  runs  an  Egyptian  ditty  on  the  lips  of  suffering  woman- 
hood which  links  these  together  as  a  trinity  of  evil. 

The  origin  of  the  word  is  disputed.  Dr.  Snouck  Hur- 
gronje  says  that  it  is  not  Arabic  and  has  no  plural.2  But  in 
Eastern  Arabia,  especially  in  the  province  of  Oman,  the  word 
has  a  plural  and  the  plural  form,  Zeeran,  is  preferably  used. 
Moreover  I  have  been  told  that  the  word  is  Arabic  and  de- 
notes "  A  (sinister)  visitor"  (zara  yezuru)  who  makes  his 
or  her  abode  and  so  possesses  the  victim.  "  All  Moslem 
nationalities  in  Mecca,"  he  says,  "  practice  the  Zar.  Even 
if  they  gave  it  another  name  in  their  own  country  they  very 
soon  adopt  the  word  Zar,  although  the  national  differences 
continue." 

The  best  account  of  its  origin  and  character  is  that  given 

i "  Aspects  of  Islam,"  pp.  330-332. 
2  "  Mekka,"  Volume  II,  p.  124. 


THE  ZAE:  EXORCISM  OF  DEMONS         229 

by  Paul  Kahle,  although  he  deals  mainly  with  Egypt.3  To 
his  account  and  the  fuller  experiences  related  by  women  mis- 
sionaries in  Egypt  and  Arabia  I  am  indebted  for  the  par- 
ticulars given  in  this  chapter.  One  of  the  best  accounts  of 
the  actual  ceremony  is  that  given  by  Miss  Anna  Y.  Thomp- 
son of  the  American  Mission  in  Egypt.4     She  writes: 

"  There  are  places  where  women  go  to  have  these  Zar 
spirits  appeased,  but  generally  a  woman  who  can  afford  the 
expense  of  the  occasion  will  have  the  performances  in  her 
own  house.  Formerly,  I  thought  that  only  hysterical  women 
were  i  possessed/  but  men  also  may  have  demon  possession, 
and  even  children.  Indeed,  in  some  parts  of  the  city  of 
Cairo  the  little  girls  have  this  as  a  performance  in  their  play 
in  the  streets. 

"  There  are  different  kinds  of  demons,  and  it  is  the  busi- 
ness of  the  sheikhas  to  determine  which  sort  (or  sorts)  are  in 
their  patient.  Yawning  and  lassitude  go  with  possession, 
also  palpitation,  a  stinging  sensation,  and  sometimes  rheuma- 
tism and  nausea.  Instead  of  going  to  a  doctor  for  medi- 
cine, the  patient  goes  to  a  sheikh,  who  takes  a  handkerchief 
belonging  to  the  sick  person  and  puts  it  under  her  pillow  at 
night.  The  sheikh  or  mashayikh  (plural),  who  appear  to 
her  during  the  night,  are  those  who  are  making  the  trouble. 
A  day  is  appointed,  a  bargain  is  made  about  the  kind  and 
expense  of  the  ceremony,  and  all  friends  who  are  afflicted  by 
these  particular  demons  are  invited  to  assist  in  the  festivities. 

"  One  of  our  Bible-women  was  permitted  to  attend  a  Zar 
in  one  of  the  houses  where  she  was  accustomed  to  read  the 
Bible,  so  a  number  of  the  missionaries  went  with  her  to  the 
place,  which  was  an  old  building  near  the  Bab-el-Shaa'rieh 
quarter.     Women  were  sitting  round  on  mats  in  -the  court, 

3  Paul  Kahle,  "  Zar-Beschworungen  in  Egypten  "  in  Der  Islam,  Band 
III,  Helt  1,  2.     Strassburg,  1912. 
*  See  Moslem  World,  July,  1913. 


230     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

and  the  first  part  of  the  performance  was  the  N ' ass-el-Kursy , 
or  preparation  of  the  high,  round  table  which  had  a  large 
copper  tray  on  it.  Different  kinds  of  nuts  were  brought  and 
spread  on  the  outer  part,  and  some  of  each  were  given  to 
us.  Then  followed  parched  peas,  sesame  seed,  parsley,  cof- 
fee in  a  paper  package,  two  heads  of  sugar,  two  bowls  of 
sour  milk,  two  pieces  of  soap,  a  plate  of  oranges,  one  of  feast 
cakes,  another  of  Turkish  delight,  candy  and  sugared  nuts, 
cucumbers  and  apples,  all  of  which  were  covered  with  a 
piece  of  red  tarlatan.  Three  small  candles  (an  uneven 
number)  were  brought,  and  two  large  ones  were  placed  on 
the  floor  in  tin  stands.  These  were  all  lighted,  and  the 
woman  (after  a  bath)  began  to  dress  for  the  performance 
which  casts  out  Sudanese  spirits.  The  woman  was  dressed 
in  white,  and  she  and  others  were  ornamented  with  blue  and 
white  Sudan  charms,  silver  chains,  anklets,  bracelets,  etc., 
which  had  cowries  or  shells  that  rattled.  One  woman  said 
to  me,  '  All  these  are  a  redemption  for  us.'  Then  the  sheikha 
and  her  women  began  to  get  their  musical  instruments  ready, 
by  heating  them  over  a  few  burning  coals  in  a  little  earthen- 
ware brazier.  They  had  two  darabukha,  or  wedding  drums, 
two  drums  the  shape  of  sieves  and  one  barrel  drum. 

"  The  demon  in  one  person  of  the  family  is  a  Christian 
demon,  and  the  possessed  woman  wears  a  silver  cross  and 
crucifix  to  keep  him  happy.5  If  she  were  to  take  these  off 
she  would  suffer.  She  also  wears  a  silver  .medallion  with 
bells  on  it,  and  silver  rings  on  each  finger,  one  having  a  cross 
on  it.  Her  child  danced  with  the  drums.  A  curious  thing 
was  that  this  woman  spent  a  few  months  in  a  mission  school 

s  Before  I  heard  of  Miss  Thompson's  story  I  discovered  in  the  bazaar 
at  Cairo  silver  crosses  engraved  and  sold  to  Moslem  women  by  Jewish 
dealers.  One  shows  Christ  upon  the  cross,  while  the  other  represents 
the  Virgin,  and  has  "  the  verse  of  the  Throne,"  from  the  Koran,  on 
the  reverse  side.  They  are  used  to  cast  out  Christian  devils  by  the 
dreaded  power — i.e.,  the  cross  of  the  Christians. 


THE  ZAK:  EXOKCISM  OF  DEMONS         231 

years  ago,  and  she  promised  to  send  her  daughter  to  be  edu- 
cated by  us  in  the  same  building. 

"  The  performance  began  when  the  patient  was  seated  on 
the  floor,  by  the  sheikha  drumming  vigorously  and  chanting 
over  her  head.  One  elderly  relative,  who  was  standing,  be- 
gan to  sway  back  and  forth,  and  was  followed  by  the  patient 
and  others.  After  a  period  of  rest,  during  which  some 
smoked,  the  woman  was  told  to  rise,  and  the  sheikha  held  her 
head,  then  each  hand,  the  hem  of  her  dress,  and  each  foot, 
over  the  incense  which  had  been  burned  before  the  food  on 
the  tray.  Ten  or  fifteen  others  had  the  incense  treatment 
in  the  same  way.  This  was  after  the  sheikha  had  called 
on  all  the  mashayikh,  or  demons,  and  had  repeated  the  Fatiha 
about  five  times,  during  which  the  drums  played  and  all  the 
company  chanted ;  at  a  given  signal  on  the  drums,  each  one 
covered  her  face  with  a  white  veil.  The  patient  rose  and 
began  swaying  and  contorting  her  body  as  she  went  slowly 
around  the  table,  followed  by  others.  When  a  performer 
was  too  vigorous,  an  onlooker  would  take  a  little  flour  or 
salt  and  sprinkle  it  over  her  head,  following  her  around  the 
circle  to  prevent  her  falling.  In  the  midst  of  all  the  din, 
some  of  the  women  gave  the  joy  cry.  Two  white  hens  and 
a  cock,  which  were  to  be  sacrificed  the  next  day,  were  brought 
in  and  flew  about  the  room.  The  patient  at  last  sank  down 
panting,  and  the  sheikha  took  a  large  mouthful  from  a  bottle 
of  rose  water,  and  spattered  it  with  force  over  each  per- 
former. 

"  The  flour  and  other  things  are  intended  to  make  peace 
between  the  p'atient  and  the  Asyad  (ruling  demons).  '  Do 
not  be  angry  with  us,  we  will  do  all  we  can.'  At  the  begin- 
ning of  these  performances,  the  sheikha,  with  the  incense  in 
her  hand,  and  all  the  others  standing  around  the  table,  re- 
peated the  Fatiha;  6  after  which  she  alone  recited :  (  To 
6  /.  e.y  the  first  or  opening  chapter  of  the  Koran. 


232     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

those  who  belong  to  the  house  of  God,  may  they  have  mercy 
on  you  by  their  favor,  and  we  ask  of  you  pardon,  O  Asyad. 
Have  pity  on  us  and  on  her  in  whom  ye  are,  and  forgive  her 
with  all  forgiveness,  because  those  who  forgive  died  pious. 
Forgive,  forgive,  in  the  right  of  the  Prophet  (hak-erv-nebi) , 
upon  him  be  prayers  and  peace.' 

"  The  second  round  was  in  the  name  of  others.  After  the 
Fatiha,  '  To  those  who  are  of  the  house  of  God,  the  people 
of  Jiddah,  and  Mecca,  and  the  Arabs,  by  the  right  of  the 
Prophet  Mohammed,  upon  him  be  prayers  and  peace/ 

The  Fatiha 

"  '  To  the  mashayikh,  Ahmed  the  Soudanese,  all  of  them 
Sayyidi  Anir,  and  Sayyedi  Ahmed  Zeidan.' 

The  Fatiha 

"  i  To  the  mashayikh  of  the  convent,  all  of  them,  and  Amir 
Tadrus  and  all  those  about  him,  and  those  who  belong  to  the 
convent. '     (  Coptic. ) 

The  Fatiha 

" i  To  the  four  angels,  and  the  Wullayi,  and  Mamah,  and 
Rumatu,  and  all  the  mashayikh/ 

The  Fatiha 

"  '  To  those  in  the  sea  (or  river) ,  Lady  Safina  swimming  in 
the  river,  and  those  of  her  household,  and  all  those  who  belong 
to  her.' 

The  Fatiha 

"  l  To  Merri,  the  father  of  Abbassi,  and  sheikh-el- Arab, 
the  Seyyid  el  Bedawi  and  Madbouli,  and  all  the  honored 
mashayikh.  Come  all,  by  .the  right  of  the  Prophet,  upon 
him  be  prayers  and  peace.' 


THE  ZAK:  EXOKCISM  OF  DEMONS        233 

"  After  the  first  round  the  sheikha  put  incense  on  the  coals 
in  the  brazier,  and  with  varied  voices  and  gestures  called  on 
these  personages  to  appear,  the  standing  company  joining  in 
a  low  voice  in  the  Fatiha.  Then  the  incense  was  waved  over 
the  different  articles  on  the  table,  then  before  the  patient, 
the  sheikha  inclining  the  head  of  the  woman  toward  the  in- 
cense, afterwards  her  hands,  feet,  etc.,  and  thus  for  all  who 
wished  it. 

"  We  left  at  the  end  of  the  third  round,  but  returned  when 
they  were  in  the  middle  of  the  tenth  round.  Some  new 
women  had  taken  the  places  of  those  who  had  become  tired 
and  who  now  sat  chatting." 

Miss  Thompson,  however,  did  not  see  the  concluding  cere- 
mony, the  climax  of  the  Zar-ritual,  namely,  the  sacrifice  and 
the  drinking  of  blood.  She  is  not  the  only  writer  who  omits 
the  subject.  Klunzinger 7  says  nothing  at  all  of  a  sacri- 
fice, nor  does  Plowden.  His  account  is  one  of  the  earliest  we 
have: 

"  These  Zars,"  he  writes,  "  are  spirits  or  devils  of  a  some- 
what humorous  turn,  who,  taking  possession  of  their  victim, 
then  cause  him  to  perform  the  most  curious  antics,  and 
sometimes  become  visible  to  him  while  they  are  so  to  no 
one  else  —  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  the  \  Erl-King,'  I 
fancy.  The  favorite  remedies  are  amulets  and  vigorous 
tom-toming,  and  screeching  without  cessation,  till  the  pos- 
sessed, doubtless  distracted  with  the  noise,  rushes  violently 
out  of  the  house,  pelted  and  beaten  and  driven  to  the  nearest 
brook,  where  the  Zar  quits  him  and  he  becomes  well.  .  .  . 
As  for  defining  the  nature  of  a  Zar  more  accurately,  it  is 
difficult  ...  as  it  also  is  to  state  wherein  the  functions  of 
a  Zar  differ  from  that  of  a  Ganeem  {jinn),  save  that  the 
Zar  is  a  more  sportively  malicious  spirit  and  the  Ganeem 
rather  morose  in  his  manners.     The  Zar  is  frequently  heard, 

7  "  Bilder  aus  Oberagypten,"  p.  389. 


234     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

indeed,  singing  to  himself  in  the  woods,  but  woe  betide  the 
human  eye  that  falls  on  him."  8 

The  close  connection  between  the  Galla  country  and  Oman 
since  the  Zanzibar  Sultanate  and  the  days  of  the  Arab  slave- 
traders  make  it  probable  that  the  Zar  came  to  Muscat  very 
early,  if  it  was  an  imported  superstition.  Here  the  blood 
sacrifice  is  the  main  thing  in  exorcism. 

"  They  have  their  houses  of  sorcery,"  writes  Miss  Fanny 
Lutton  of  the  American  Mission,  "  which  have  different 
names,  and  have  different  ceremonies  in  each  one.  The 
largest  and  most  expensive  one  is  called  '  Bait-e-Zaar/  If 
one  is  afflicted  with  madness,  or  it  may  be  some  serious  or 
incurable  disease,  she  is  taken  to  this  house  and  the  profes- 
sionals are  called;  and  the  treatments  sometimes  last  for 
days.  The  money  extorted  from  the  patient  is  exorbitant, 
and  so,  as  a  rule,  it  is  only  the  rich  who  can  afford  to  un- 
dergo this  treatment.  The  poor  are  branded  with  a  hot  iron 
or  suffer  cupping  (blood  letting) ,  which  does  not  cost  so  very 
much.  In  these  houses  animals  are  slain  and  the  sufferer 
is  drenched  with  the  blood  and  must  drink  the  hot  blood  as  it 
is  taken  from  the  animal.  And  then  the  devil  dancing  is  per- 
formed by  black  slave  women,  and  the  patient  is  whirled 
around  with  them  until  she  sinks  exhausted." 

In  Egypt,  the  preparation  for  the  sacrifice  is  closely  re- 
lated to  one  part  of  the  ecstatic  Zar  dance.  The  sick  person 
is  dressed  in  white  and  ornamented  with  special  charms, 
while  the  room  is  also  prettily  decorated.  The  kursi  (chair) 
in  the  middle  of  the  room  is  in  fact  an  altar,  which  has  been 
decorated  with  flowers,  burning  candles  and  various  sweets, 
as  a  mark  of  honor  for  the  spirits.  These  gifts  and  the  burn- 
ing incense  are  supposed  to  attract  the  spirit  and  cause  hdm 
to  appear;  or  drive  away  other  dem'ons. 

8 "  Travels  in  Abyssinia  and  the  Galla  Country,"  quoted  by  Paul 
Kahle. 


THE  ZAK:  EXOKCISM  OF  DEMONS        235 

The  animal  sacrifice  consists  of  sheep  or  fowls ;  sometimes 
a  fowl  is  sacrificed  in  the  beginning,  and  afterwards  a  sheep. 
Kahle  is  of  the  opinion  that  in  former  times  only  fowls  were 
sacrificed,  the  sheep  sacrifice  being  introduced  later  on,  with- 
out, however,  displacing  the  sacrifice  of  the  fowl.  Accord- 
ing to  Borelli,  a  black  fowl  is  sacrificed  in  Abyssinia.  In 
Luxor  a  brown  or  white  cock  is  offered,  and  in  Cairo  one  cock 
and  two  hens,  which  may  be  black  or  white.  In  Abyssinia 
the  contact  between  the  spirit  and  the  sacrifice  is  performed 
by  swinging  the  fowl  several  times  around  the  head  of  the 
patient.  Afterwards  it  is  thrown  on  the  floor,  and  if  it 
does  not  die  very  soon,  the  sacrifice  is  considered  to  have  been 
in  vain.  In  Cairo,  according  to  one  report  by  Kahle,  the 
animal  is  killed  by  the  sheikha  above  the  head  of  the  Zar 
bride,  who  must  open  her  mouth  and  drink  the  warm  blood, 
the  remainder  running  down  her  white  garment.  The  the- 
ory is  that  it  is  not  she  who  drinks,  but  the  spirit  in  her. 
In  Luxor  one  drop  of  the  blood  is  placed  on  the  forehead,  the 
cheeks,  the  chin,  the  palms  of  the  hands  and  on  the  soles  of 
the  feet.  Probably  the  blood  has  to  be  drunk  also.  The 
claws  and  feathers  of  the  fowl  are  laid  aside  carefully  as  a 
special  gift  to  the  spirit. 

Of  course  the  sacrifice  must  be  an  excellent  animal.  The 
possessed  person  is  seated  on  its  back  and  rides  seven  times 
around  the  hursi.  If  a  sheikh  leads  the  performance,  he 
kills  the  beast  immediately  afterwards:  if  a  sheikha  is  in 
charge,  another  person  must  do  it  instead,  because  it  is  un- 
usual for  women  to  kill  sheep.  The  animal  is  slaughtered 
according  to  Moslem  ritual,  with  its  head  toward  Mecca, 
while  the  onlookers  say  the  "  Bismillah."  Then  the  sick 
person  is  addressed  as  follows :  "  May  God  comfort  you  in 
this  which  has  come  upon  you."  If  he  is  a  man  he  stands 
near  by  and  catches  the  warm  blood  in  his  mouth.  In  the 
case  of  a  woman,  the  blood  is  poured  into  a  bowl  and  given 


236     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

her  to  drink.  With  the  remainder  of  the  blood  the  hands 
and  feet  of  the  patient  are  stained.  Almost  the  same  cere- 
monies are  observed  at  the  sacrifice  of  both  a  fowl  and  a 
sheep,  and  so  separate  mention  is  unnecessary. 

While  the  meat  is  being  prepared,  parts  of  the  exorcism 
are  repeated,  the  meal  forming  the  closing  act  of  the  whole 
festival.  The  Zar  bride,  the  sheikha,  and  her  servants  may 
eat  only  the  inner  parts  (heart,  stomach,  etc.)  of  the  animal 
and  its  head. 

The  charms  which  are  given  to  the  Zar  bride  during  the 
performances  must  never  be  removed,  or  the  spirit  will  re- 
turn at  once.  These  charms  consist  of  silver  ornaments  and 
coins,  worn  on  the  breast  beneath  the  dress,  a  ring  with  spe- 
cial inscriptions,  or  some  other  article.  I  have  in  my  pos- 
session the  following  ornaments  worn  at  the  time  of  exorcism 
by  the  sheikh :  First,  a  head-dress  made  of  beads  and  cowrie 
shells  with  a  fringe  six  inches  wide,  and  a  three-fold  tassel. 
It  is  called  takiet  kharz.  A  belt  of  the  same  beadwork, 
green  and  white  beads  mounted  on  a  red  girdle  with  border 
of  cowrie  shells.  In  addition  to  these,  two  small  amulets  are 
worn  of  the  same  material ;  one  square  and  containing  Koran 
passages  and  the  other  circular  of  the  same  character  with 
other  potent  material  against  demons. 

The  sheep  or  goat  which  is  the  sacrifice  also  has  a  special 
ornament  on  its  head  similar  to  those  worn  by  brides  in  the 
villages.  It  consists  of  two  palm  twigs,  two  feet  long,  bound 
together  in  the  shape  of  a  T  cross.  Each  twig  is  covered 
with  colored  paper  and  tinsel  ornaments,  and  the  whole  is  so 
adjusted  that  it  can  be  tied  to  the  head  of  the  sacrifice. 

Finally  the  woman  who  rides  on  the  sacrificial  sheep  is 
armed  with  a  cane  forty-two  inches  in  length.  This  is  en- 
tirely covered  with  beadwork,  brown,  white,  green,  red,  and 
has  three  chaplets  of  cowrie  shells  at  equal  distances  from 
the  top  of  the  handle. 


THE  ZAE:  EXOECISM  OF  DEMONS        237 

In  Morocco,  when  a  man  or  woman  is  possessed  with  the 
"  devil  "  or  jinn  the  people,  including  men  and  women,  gather 
in  a  zeriba  or  mat  hut  where  the  proceedings  are  com- 
menced by  dances,  chants,  etc.  Some  chickens,  or  else  a  goat, 
are  strangled  and  are  afterwards  boiled  without  salt.  Some 
of  the  water  that  the  animfal  has  been  boiled  in  is  smeared 
all  over  the  walls  and  floor  by  way  of  exorcism  while  the 
meat  is  eaten  by  those  present,  including  the  "  possessed ' 
one.  ("  Villes  et  Tribus  du  Maroc,"  Casablanca,  vol.  I,  p. 
64;  Paris  1915.) 

A  fuller  account  of  this  sacrifice  to  demons  as  practiced  in 
Arabia,  "  the  Cradle  of  Islam,"  is  given  by  Mrs.  D.  Dijkstra,9 
as  follows : 

"  The  great  feast  ordered  by  the  zeeraan  is  called  '  habsh/ 
meaning  ram,  and  is  so  called  because  a  sacrifice  must  be 
offered  and  this  sacrifice  is  always  a  ram.  The  room  for 
the  hdbsh  is  always  a  very  large  room.  The  meeting  be- 
gins in  the  evening  with  a  general  dinner,  but  which  is  as 
a  rule  not  an  elaborate  one.  After  the  dinner  the  leader 
begins  to  chant,  '  La  illaha  ilia  allah  wa  Mohammed  ra^ul 
allahf  all  the  others  joining  in  chorus,  and  this  exercise 
is  kept  up  for  about  an  hour,  and  all  the  while  their  bodies 
are  swaying  back  and  forth  in  rhythm  to  the  chant.  After 
this  is  ended  the  whole  company  get  down  on  their  knees 
and  go  through  a  crawling,  grunting  exercise  which  is  kept 
up  until  they  are  exhausted.  After  a  little  rest  the  musi- 
cians begin  their  playing  and  do  not  stop  until  the  next  fea- 
ture in  the  program,  which  is  riding  the  ram  by  the  party 
who  is  visited  by  the  zar.  Sometimes  this  is  done  at  mid- 
night if,  as  they  say,  the  zar  is  not  a  very  proud  one,  but  if 
he  considers  himself  very  important  this  exercise  takes  place 
at  dawn.     The  ram  to  be  ridden  is  decorated  with  mash- 

9  Neglected  Arabia,  a  quarterly  published  by  the  Arabian  Mission, 
New  York,  January,  1918.  Mrs.  Dijkstra  uses  the  word  zar  for  the 
victim  as  well  as  for  the  ceremony. 


238     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

mourn  (green  twigs)  and  the  rider  is  the  one  in  whom  the 
zar  is.  The  rider  goes  around  the  circle  three  or  four  times. 
This  is  seldom  accomplished  except  with  great  cruelty  to  the 
poor  beast,  which  is  pulled  and  prodded  in  a  most  unmerci- 
ful way,  and  it  is  a  mercy  that  it  is  killed  later,  for  it  is 
usually  injured  in  this  exercise. 

"  After  this  first  riding  the  company  all  take  some  rest  un- 
til an  hour  or  two  after  daybreak,  when  the  second  riding 
takes  place,  in  the  same  way  as  the  first.  Immediately  after 
this  the  ram  is  killed.  This  is  done  by  the  '  abu  '  or  '  urn/ 
as  the  case  may  be,  assisted  by  the  zar,  as  the  possessed  one 
is  called,  and  a  third  party.  The  head  of  the  ram  is  held  over 
a  large  tray  or  dish,  for  not  a  drop  of  blood  must  be  spilled 
or  wasted.  When  the  beast  is  killed,  a  glass  is  filled  with 
the  blood  and  into  it  is  put  some  saffron  and  some  sugar  and 
the  zar  drinks  while  the  blood  is  warm.  Three  or  four 
others  of  the  company  then  strip  the  zar  and  give  her  the 
'  blood  bath.'  The  zar  is  then  dressed  and  put  to  sleep  for 
an  hour  and  after  that  is  bathed  to  remove  the  blood  and 
dressed  in  new  clothes  and  new  ornaments  or  decorations. 
In  the  meantime  the  sacrifice  has  been  preparing.  As  with 
the  blood  so  with  the  body;  not  a  hair  or  bone  or  any  of 
the  entrails  must  be  spilled  or  thrown  away.  The  entrails 
and  feet  are  boiled  separately,  but  the  skin,  turned  inside 
out  and  tied,  is  cooked  with  the  rest  of  the  body,  including 
the  head.  When  all  is  cooked,  a  portion  is  brought  to  each 
table  (the  table  is  a  large  mat  spread  on  the  floor),  and  all 
the  rest  of  the  food  is  placed  around  the  central  dish.  A 
stick,  which  has  been  bathed  in  the  blood  of  the  animal,  is 
placed  before  the  zar.  When  all  is  in  readiness,  the  leader 
asks  the  zar,  (  Is  everything  here  that  you  want  ?  Are  all 
the  bones  here  of  your  sacrifice  ?  Tell  us  now  if  there  is 
anything  amiss  and  don't  say  later  that  this  or  that  was  not 
done  right  and  that,  therefore,  you  will  take  revenge  on  us 


THE  ZAE:  EXOECISM  OE  DEMONS        239 

by  bringing  upon  us  some  accident.'  The  zar  is  commanded 
to  answer  and  if  be  does  not  be  is  beaten  with  the  bloody 
stick  until  he  does."  .  .  . 

In  Cairo,  the  sacrificial  ceremony  was  witnessed  and  de- 
scribed by  Madame  H.  Kushdi  Pasha.10  She  tells  how  after 
the  preliminary  music,  dancing,  and  feasting,  incense  is 
burnt  and  the  one  possessed  is  properly  fumigated.  During 
the  process  of  fumigating  no  prayers  are  offered.  When  this 
is  over  the  dancing  begins.  The  one  possessed  then  takes 
hold  of  the  ram  which  has  now  been  brought  in.  She  makes 
the  tour  of  the  room  three  times,  acting  the  while  like  a 
drunken  woman,  amid  the  shrieks  of  the  other  women  in  the 
room.  The  ram  is  then  dragged  by  the  possessed  to  the  door 
where  it  is  butchered.  The  possessed  reenters  preceded  by 
the  goudia  who  carries  a  tray  filled  with  jewels  covered  with 
the  blood  of  the  ram.  In  fact  everybody  gets  covered  with 
the  blood  of  the  ram,  still  warm.  Blood  is  everywhere. 
They  roll  about  on  the  animal  until  they  are  quite  covered 
with  it.  The  air  becomes  hot  with  incense  and  smoke.  And 
when  at  last  the  women  fall  down  on  the  ground,  the  goudias 
go  around  touching  them  on  the  ears  and  breathe  on  them 
whispering  words  in  their  ears,  presumably  from  the  Koran. 
After  a  while  they  regain  their  places  as  if  nothing  has  hap- 
pened. 

Dr.  Kahle  also  states  that  the  sheikha  or  leader  of  the  per- 
formance is  called  "  Kudija  "  (goudia)  but  gives  no  explana- 
tion of  the  word ;  its  derivation  is  obscure.  Zars  which  are 
performed  near  sanctuaries  and  not  in  private  houses,  have 
neither  a  Jcursi,  with  candles,  nor  sheep  offerings.  But  in 
most  cases  the  sheikha  comes  to  the  house  of  the  sick  person 
the  following  morning  to  kill  the  animal  there.  The  name 
sheikha   (the  feminine  of  sheikh,  elder)   is  given  her,  be- 

10  "Harems  et  Musulmanes  d'Egypte"  (Paris),  out  of  print,  pp. 
270-274. 


240     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

cause  she  knows  the  method  of  casting  out  spirits.  Her  first 
task  is  to  find  out  the  right  tune  for  a  particular  sufferer. 
If  she  knows  the  "  Zar  bride  "  from  previous  meetings,  she 
at  once  begins  the  right  one.  The  first  time,  one  tune  after 
another  is  tried  (for  Cairo  spirits,  Upper  Egypt  spirits, 
etc.),  until  the  sick  person  becomes  ecstatic,  which  proves 
that  the  right  tune  has  been  found  and  it  is  then  continued. 
Each  special  tune  requires  special  dressing,  which,  accord- 
ing to  the  sex  of  the  spirit,  may  be  that  of  men,  women,  boys 
or  girls.  The  sick  person  herself  acts  as  the  incarnation  of 
the  spirit ;  sometimes,  however,  the  sheikha  speaks  instead  of 
the  spirit. 

The  meetings  for  exorcising  the  Zar  may  be  of  short  dura- 
tion, or  may  continue  for  several  nights.  If  the  patient  is 
rich,  the  feast  is  prolonged,  and  during  the  fourth  night, 
called  the  "  great  night/'  the  greatest  feast  is  prepared.  The 
sheikha  and  other  visitors  remain  for  the  whole  night  with 
the  sick  person,  and  the  following  morning  they  have  the 
solemn  sacrifice,  the  supreme  performance  of  the  feast.11 

Captain  Tremearne  in  "  the  Ban  of  the  Bori "  and  G.  A. 
Herklot  in  his  book  on  the  customs  of  the  Moslems  of  India, 
"  Qanoon-e-Islam "  (1832),  relate  similar  practices  pre- 
vailing in  North  Africa  and  India.  In  every  land  therefore, 
with  variations  due  to  local  circumstances,  the  Zar  must  al- 
ways be  propitiated  by  three  —  incense,  the  Zar-dance  with 
music  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  sacrifice  —  all  three  of  these 
are  Pagan  and  repulsive  to  orthodox  Islam  and  yet  continue 
under  its  shadow.  Between  1870-80  the  practices  spread  to 
such  an  extent  in  Upper  Egypt  that  the  Government  had  to 
put  a  stop  to  them.12  During  the  past  four  years  the  Cairo 
press  has  published  many  articles  demanding  that  "  these 

ii  See  The  Moslem  World,  July,   1913.     Article  by  Elizabet  Franke, 
based  on  Kahle's  investigations. 
12  Klunzinger,  p.  388. 


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THE  ZAR:  EXORCISM  OF  DEMONS         241 

infidel  ceremonies  "  be  abolished  by  law,  but  the  custom  dies 
hard.13  Not  only  is  the  superstition  of  the  Zar  degrading  to 
morals  and  spiritual  life  judged  even  by  Moslem  standards 
but  it  is  such  an  expensive  bit  of  heathenism  that  families 
have  been  financially  ruined  through  its  demands. 

"  Sometimes  a  man  will  divorce  his  wife,"  says  Mrs. 
Dijkstra,  "  because  she  has  zeeran,  or  if  he  learns  that  the 
girl  or  woman  he  was  going  to  marry  has  them  he  will  break 
his  marriage  agreement.  And  the  reason  in  all  these  in- 
stances is  a  financial  one.  People  possessed  by  zeeran  must 
give  feasts  at  various  times,  and  the  women  are  prompted 
by  their  zeeran  to  demand  from  their  husbands  new  cloth- 
ing, new  jewelry,  and  new  house  furnishings,  and  if  these 
are  not  forthcoming  the  zeeran  threaten  that  severe  calami- 
ties will  overtake  them.  So  unless  the  husband  is  prepared 
to  assume  such  burdens  he  very  promptly  rids  himself  of  the 
cause,  and  families  refuse  to  entertain  the  very  idea  of 
zeeran  because  of  the  constant  drain  upon  their  time  and 
strength  and  money." 

The  Zar  spirits  {zeeran)  are  divided  into  numerous  tribes 
and  classes.  In  Cairo  they  have  Abyssinian,  Sudanese, 
Arab,  and  even  Indian  evil-spirits,  for  each  of  which  a  spe- 
cial ceremony  is  necessary  at  the  time  of  exorcism.  They 
are  male,  female,  or  hermaphrodites.  They  may  belong  to 
every  class  of  society  and  different  religions.  In  Bahrein, 
East  Arabia,  "  the  outward  sign  of  being  possessed  by  a  Zar 
is  the  wearing  of  a  signet  ring,  with  the  name  of  the  Zar  and 
of  the  person  himself  engraven  on  a  red  stone,  and  also  the 
Shehadeh  or  witness,  i  La  illaha  ilia  allah,  wa  Mohammed 
rasoul  allah,'  there  is  no  god  but  God  and  Mohammed  is 
the  prophet  of  God.     This  signet  ring  must  receive  a  bath 

13  Cf.  for  example  the  newspaper  AX  Jareeda,  April  18,  1911,  and 
the  pamphlet  "  Mudarr  ez  Zar,"  "  The  Baneful  Effect  of  the  Zar,"  Cairo, 
1903. 


242      THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

of  Hood  before  it  becomes  efficacious,  and  so  a  fowl  must 
be  killed  and  the  stone  soaked  in  the  blood." 

Among  the  fetich-worshipers  of  West  Africa,  where  Islam 
has  not  yet  entered,  the  same  kind  of  demon-exorcism  is  prac- 
ticed as  in  Arabia  or  in  Cairo,  the  intellectual  capital  of 
Islam!  Indeed,  we  need  not  ask  what  is  the  origin  of  the 
Zar  for  we  have  an  almost  exact  description  of  it  from  the 
Kev.  Kobert  H.  Nassau  as  he  witnessed  pagan  exorcism 
among  a  primitive  people : 

"  Sick  persons,  and  especially  those  that  are  afflicted  with 
nervous  disorders,  are  supposed  to  be  possessed  by  one  or 
other  of  these  evil  spirits.  If  the  disease  assumes  a  serious 
form,  the  patient  is  taken  to  a  priest  or  a  priestess,  of  either 
of  these  classes  of  spirits.  Certain  tests  are  applied,  and  it 
is  soon  ascertained  to  which  class  the  disease  belongs,  and 
the  patient  is  accordingly  turned  over  to  the  proper  priest. 
The  ceremonies  in  the  different  cases  are  not  materially  dif- 
ferent; they  are  alike,  at  least,  in  the  employment  of  an  al- 
most endless  round  of  absurd,  unmeaning,  and  disgusting 
ceremonies  which  none  but  a  heathenish  and  ignorant  priest- 
hood could  invent,  and  none  but  a  poor,  ignorant,  and  super- 
stitious people  could  ever  tolerate.  .  .  . 

"  In  either  case  a  temporary  shanty  is  erected  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  street  for  the  occupancy  of  the  patient,  the  priest, 
and  such  persons  as  are  to  take  part  in  the  ceremony  of  ex- 
orcism. The  time  employed  in  performing  the  ceremonies 
is  seldom  less  than  ten  or  fifteen  days.  During  this  period 
dancing,  drumming,  feasting,  and  drinking  are  kept  up  with- 
out intermission  day  and  night,  and  all  at  the  expense  of  the 
nearest  relative  of  the  invalid.  The  patient,  if  a  female,  is 
decked  out  in  the  most  fantastic  costume;  her  face,  bosom, 
arms,  and  legs  are  streaked  with  red  and  white  chalk,  her 
head  adorned  with  red  feathers,  and  much  of  the  time  she 
promenades  the  open  space  in  front  of  the  shanty  with  a 


THE  ZAE:  EXOECISM  OF  DEMONS         243 

sword  in  her  hand,  which  she  brandishes  in  a  very  menac- 
ing way  against  the  bystanders.  At  the  same  time  she  as- 
sumes as  much  of  the  maniac  in  her  looks,  actions,  gestures, 
and  walk  as  possible.  ...  In  speaking  of  the  actions  of 
these  demoniacs,  they  are  said  to  be  done  by  the  spirit,  and 
not  by  the  person  who  is  possessed.  If  the  person  performs 
any  unnatural  or  revolting  act, —  as  the  biting  off  of  the  head 
of  a  live  chicken  and  sucking  its  blood, —  it  is  said  that  the 
spirit,  not  the  man,  has  done  it."  14 

•  •••••••• 

We  have  ended  our  studies  on  Animism  in  Islam.  It  has 
been  rather  a  voyage  along  the  coasts  than  a  survey  of  the 
vast  areas  yet  unexplored  in  a  continent  of  superstition. 
Enough,  however,  has  passed  before  our  eyes  to  show  that  no 
real  fundamental  understanding  of  popular  Islam  is  possible 
without  taking  account  of  Animism. 

Regarding  the  effect  of  Animism  and  the  fear  of  demons 
upon  the  mind  of  the  Moslem  we  recall  words  written  by  De 
Groot  in  his  "  Religion  of  the  Chinese,"  pp.  60-61 ;  the  fact 
that  he  says  it  in  regard  to  China  and  that  the  same  phenom- 
ena have  passed  before  us  as  existing  in  Islam,  makes  his 
statement  the  more  striking :  "  A  religion  in  which  the  fear 
of  devils  performs  so  great  a  part  that  they  are  even  wor- 
shiped and  sacrificed  to,  certainly  represents  religion  in  a 
low  stage.  It  is  strange  to  see  such  a  religion  prevail  among 
a  nation  so  highly  civilized  as  China  is  generally  supposed  to 
be;  and  does  this  not  compel  us  to  subject  our  high  ideas  of 
that  civilization  to  some  revision?  No  doubt,  we  ought  to 
rid  ourselves  a  little  of  the  conception  urged  upon  us  by  en- 
thusiastic friends  of  China,  that  her  religion  stands  high 
enough  to  want  no  foreign  religion  to  supplant  it.  The 
truth  is  that  its  universalistic  animism,  with  its  concomitant 

I* "  Fetichism  in  West  Africa,"  New  York,  Charles  Scribner's  Sons, 
1904,  pp.  72-74. 


244     THE  INFLUENCE  OF  ANIMISM  ON  ISLAM 

demonistic  doctrine  renders  the  Chinese  people  unhappy ;  for 
most  unhappy  must  be  a  people  always  living  in  a  thousand 
—  a  hundred  thousand  —  fears  of  invisible  beings  which 
surround  the  path  of  life  with  dangers  on  every  hand,  at 
every  moment.  If  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man  should 
have  a  religion  in  order  to  be  happy,  the  Chinese  religion 
is  certainly  no  religion  shaped  by  God."  We  likewise  con- 
clude that  if  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man  shall  have  a 
religion  in  order  to  be  happy  and  to  have  an  assurance  of 
deliverance  from  fear  Animistic  Islam  is  not  that  religion. 


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